


You Give Me Chills

by fuzzybunny78



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Claumitri, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Mental Illness, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pre-Time Skip, Slow Burn, dimiclaude, this is gonna be a long one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-10-27 20:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20766152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzybunny78/pseuds/fuzzybunny78
Summary: Dimitri is an engaged man with a promising future as King ahead of him...until a mysterious man from the Leicester Alliance shows up and ruins everything by Catching Feelings.





	1. Chapter 1

A servant must have come to open the curtains because sunlight was pouring in onto poor Dimitri's face. His eyes opened a crack before his face twisted in disgust, and with a groan, he rolled over to try to retain the sleep he longed for. Felix, his dear lover, and soon-to-be husband laid peacefully, undisturbed, but Dimitri pressed his face against the other's chest to hide from the sun. The poor prince had only gotten a few hours of sleep -- his night terrors kept him up until little speckles of early morning light shone through minuscule gaps in their thick, navy curtains -- so he had to resort to hiding from the sun for now. 

Even if he wanted to, Dimitri couldn't get up to close the curtains. His body was extremely exhausted and sleep-deprived that he'd surely fall over from lack of energy. He also would never hear the end of it from his father, either, especially on a day like today. According to whispers in the castle halls, a young man from the neighboring Leicester Alliance was coming to stay for two weeks. At first, Dimitri thought it was another suitor, but that simply couldn't be possible. Felix was already his betrothed. 

With another pained groan, Dimitri pulled the blankets up over his head, Felix's scent engulfing his nose as he tried to rest for a few more minutes.

Unbeknownst to Dimitri, Felix had woken up to the sudden pressure on his chest. He could feel soft hair cascading over his bare skin. Sure enough, there Dimitri was, hiding away from the bright light that streamed through the window. It was still early, Felix could feel it, and as much as he longed to get out of bed, not only was he still tired, his larger (and heavier) fiancé lay over him like a weighted blanket.

Felix was still not used to the word. _Fiancé_. Of course, he and Dimitri had known since childhood that they would end up like this. Rodrigue and Lambert had taken the children's budding friendship as a good sign to pursue marriage. Felix wasn't...unhappy, per se; The boar could get on his nerves, and he still pulled some unhappy memories from Felix's mind from time to time, but these adult years, even before getting engaged, had come with maturity and understanding. But something felt off. Felix did like Dimitri, he liked the kissing and the warmth and the relationship, but there was a pit in Felix's stomach that just told him something was off. That it wasn't right. Felix missed being just friends with the prince; he missed his life before a happy--yet still forced--marriage. The noble shook out the stiffness in his legs to announce his awakening.

"Oh, did I wake you up?" Dimitri said groggily, breaking the silence and lifting his head to look at the other noble under heavy eyelids. He rolled away and pulled a pillow over his head instead, and he sensed the energy in the room all too well. It was weird energy -- off-putting -- and Dimitri surely wasn't the only one who noticed. Felix could surely feel it as well. As much as he despised the very idea of sitting up, that's precisely what Dimitri did; before grabbing his pillow and holding it in his lap. He leaned forward and smashed his face into the multitude of feathers, his lips parted slightly as his body screamed to lie back down. The stretch in his neck and back that came with this new position wasn't pleasant.

"I apologize," Dimitri began, his voice muffled against the soft fabric. "You may go back to bed if you wish. I must begin getting ready, much to my chagrin. Have you heard of our Leicester visitor, Felix?"

Felix scoffed, reaching over to Dimitri's face and pushing him back down. "I'm going to wash up. Lay back down, idiot," he mumbled, running his hands through his messy, loose hair. Dimitri giggled tiredly as he spread out each limb to take up the entire bed.

"I heard my father talk about it. He's inheriting the Alliance, correct? Grandson of the leader of the ruling house?" Felix didn't particularly care. Well, actually, someone like that sounded strong. Maybe he could fight him. 

Felix walked into the small bathroom adjacent to their bed, and he left the door open in case Dimitri felt talkative. There was hot water set up in a small basin already, which Felix dipped his hands into and washed his face with, sputtering as the water got into his mouth. After that, he began to quietly comb his hair, untangling the thin strands with uncharacteristic care.

Dimitri, meanwhile, rolled onto his stomach and spread his limbs out in four different directions, and while his body was happy to get the extra rest, his mind was scolding him to get up and at least get dressed. It was an ongoing battle between body and mind, and he finally decided that he wouldn't get up until Felix scolded him to. He refused to look out the window in fear of the sun, so he moved farther down into the bed instead. 

"Something like that. Grandson, son, whatever the relation is," Dimitri called back, his eyes half-closed as he stared at the wall. "When I heard the servants gossiping I thought it was merely another suitor, but how could that be? I'm already marrying you." 

Still, Dimitri was curious about what this young man would be like. Would he be tall? Carry himself with poise? Speak professionally like a noble should? It was all fascinating, but no matter what, Dimitri couldn't get too interested. Especially when he and Felix's wedding was supposed to be at the height of the next Moon.

Felix only hummed in response, holding some hairpins between his lips as he pulled strands into a ponytail with his hairband. He recoiled with a hiss as the thing snapped and whipped against his wrist. 

He glared at the sad excuse of broken rubber on his palm and grumbled under his breath, careful to not drop the pins between his lips as he reached for a spare one and began the agonizing hair process again. 

It only took a couple more tries until his hair was finally secured in place. Price to pay to keep his hair out of his eyes while training, he supposed. Finally done, he walked back out onto the room and stared at Dimitris lazying form, lip curling into an annoyed snarl.  
"Okay, I gave you ten minutes, get dressed already. You wanna make this supposed duke guy wait? Now you're not only making yourself look bad, but you're also dragging _me_ down with you." His words were mean, but there was a teasing tone to Felix's voice.

Dimitri giggled and grabbed one of the pillows, blindly throwing it in Felix's direction before he sat up. He stretched his arms above his head and popped his back by bending backward -- _really_ taking his time to get out of bed -- before looking at Felix's adorable annoyed face. With a sincere smile, Dimitri finally rose to his feet, and he placed his hands on Felix's arms before pressing their lips together for a quick good morning kiss. 

"Yes, 'Your Highness,'" Dimitri mocked, bowing dramatically before walking over to the wardrobe. He gently pulled the double doors open (the thing was so old) and scanned his options, the morning sun illuminating his golden hair in such a way that it cast a halo around his head. The maids often chose an outfit for the two young princes the night before and set them on hooks built into the two doors, one for each of them, and Dimitri scrunched his nose up in disgust at the outfit he was assigned. It wasn't possible to get more frilly and obnoxious even if he tried. The beads, the bows, the lace...he would look more like a goddamn jester than a prince in this outfit. 

"Oh gods," Dimitri groaned, carefully taking the hanger down from the hook. "Do I have to wear this? I'm going to be laughed out of the room in this silly thing! I'm not a child anymore!"

Felix heard Dimitri's voice behind him, and he turned to face him curiously, eyes landing on the extravagant outfit. 

"I-" The young noble burst out laughing, his hands flying to his stomach to support himself. 

"Oh, you're going to look like a little page!" He laughed, leaning against the stone wall of their quarters, enjoying the look of pure dread on Dimitri's face until a thought crashed into his mind and pulled him to a complete stop. 

"Wait, what is mine? Did they give me something ridiculous too?" Felix rushed to the closet, throwing open the second door to stare at his own outfit. So much for being delicate with the old wardrobe. Oh thank god, it was just an arrangement of furs and tunics.

"Oh, your days are _numbered!_" Dimitri shouted upon seeing his lover's outfit, hanging the clothes back up on their hook and wrapping his arms around Felix's stomach. He mashed his face into the other's chest cavity until he backed the other into a wall, the two laughing like children as they play fight. It was in their love language to physically tease each other, and Dimitri would sneak in loving kisses between flying limbs and breathless laughs. He kept his arms securely around Felix's stomach to restrain him, and he stepped down on his lover's feet to stop him from relentlessly kicking. 

"Let me wear yours!" Dimitri cried, his eyes watering from laughing so hard. "I don't want to look like a porcelain doll! Let me wear something else!"

Felix smirked at Dimitri challengingly, bringing his hands up to the other's hair and tangling them in the soft golden locks, pulling slightly to distract the young prince. He snuck a leg around the other man, and using a little bit of force, twisted them around so Dimitri's back was against the wall and Felix could pin him there with his elbows. 

"Sorry your highness, you'll never best me at hand-to-hand. And no, keep your filthy hands out of my perfectly normal clothes and do your princely duty of looking like a little girl in shorts" Felix shot back, pressing his forehead to Dimitri's shoulder and chuckling. He kinda just wanted Dimitri to wear the clothes so he could laugh at him, in all those frills and the ridiculously fluffy shorts- _pfft!_

Dimitri groaned and rested his head on top of Felix's, helplessly waving his hands back and forth against the other's iron grip. His knuckles knocked against the cold stone behind him, and he jerked his shoulder to get Felix's head off. He then captured Felix's soft lips in a kiss, a desperate attempt to get his lover to stand down. When he felt the slightest release of tension, he shot his arms forward and wrapped them around the shorter man, lifting him up while their lips were still pressed together. Dimitri held Felix against him by his thighs and smiled, finally breaking the kiss before nuzzling his face in the crook of Felix's neck. 

"So cruel, Felix!" Dimitri joked, tightening his grip on the rowdy man in his arms. "So cruel, indeed! And yet...I would be lost without you." _Must_ they greet the newcomer? Dimitri wanted nothing more than to spend the whole day toying with his betrothed.

Felix choked on his next breath as he was lifted, eyes blowing wide as he was pulled into a searing kiss as well. He would've complained, had he not opted to close his eyes and kiss Dimitri back instead. The angry man melted like chocolate in Dimitri's embrace, relaxing his limbs and letting the more than capable Dimitri hoist him up. 

After pulling away, suddenly very drowsy again, Felix propped his head against Dimitri's own and hummed, wrapping his arms around the other's neck. "I hear Sylvain and Ingrid are coming too...or something," He yawned.

"Yes, I believe they'll be there. Two more people to make fun of my outfit." Dimitri rolled his eyes and kissed Felix's soft cheek, setting his lover down before trudging himself over to the wardrobe, snatching the dreaded outfit off the hook and tossing it haphazardly on the bed. 

With a sinister glare, Dimitri raised his lip as he looked back over at Felix. "One snicker out of you, and you're dead."

The young prince threw his nightshirt off and sighed, chuckling quietly to himself as he slipped on the humiliating white shirt with stupid blue bows lining the sleeves over his head. "Heh, gods, I sound like you."

"If I'm rubbing off on you now, imagine when we're married." Felix turned away from his betrothed, taking his own outfit from the wardrobe and laying it over the wooden table under the window, taking his sleep pants off and throwing them in the direction of the bed. A servant would be over to clean up the room later anyway, like always. 

Honestly, Felix was more excited to see Ingrid and Sylvain than this Alliance noble. Despite how close the four of them were, the Gautier family kept Sylvain busy, and Ingrid's father had tried to marry her off to Felix and/or Dimitri so many times (even after their engagement was announced) that it was rare for the family to be invited. Lambert and Rodrigue loved Ingrid but...her father was a different story. 

Dimitri snickered and turned around to sit on the bed, ridding himself of his sleep pants along with his underwear. He pulled a fresh pair of boxers out of the pile of clothes and slipped them on before looking down at a pair of decorative white tights that lay there, mocking him. His heart stopped. "Felix...um..."

Hesitantly, Dimitri held up the white tights, along with thigh-high blue socks that were also piled on. "Do I get to choose between the two? Or do I have to put on both? Which one goes first?" 

Dimitri only had the shirt on, and he was already itching to take everything off and go on a leisurely, comfortable ride. High waisted black pants and plain shirts with puffy sleeves were much more his speed. The only high waisted footwear he wanted to sport was his riding boots.

Felix turned, halfway through lacing his pants up. "Uh..." He stared at the garments Dimitri was holding, trying to see exactly what they were, before promptly giving up. Felix's eyebrows furrowed together confusedly before he sighed and just shrugged. 

"I dunno," he mumbled, turning back to his own, thankfully comfortable, set of clothes. As soon as the black pants were laced up, he slipped the dark blue tunic over his head, feeling the fur cuffs and collar grace over his skin as he put it on. He expertly laced that up too before slipping on the belt and cape that followed, leaving the dark blue and gold boots for last.

"Thanks, dear." Dimitri rolled his eyes and giggled warmly, deciding to go with the tights and then the socks. He took his time with both, making sure to smooth everything out and triple check to make sure no folds were in the tights before the socks went over, and pretty soon he had them both on. His feet felt like they were being suffocated. He'd definitely have some weird patterns decorating his legs in red later. 

Dimitri stood up and picked up the most hideous, puffy pair of shorts he'd ever seen, his nose scrunching as he swallowed his pride and put them on. They had too much fabric in the crotch and not enough in the rear. His behind looked rather tight and sculpted while his front was lost in a sea of blue fabric. He groaned at how ridiculous he already looked before throwing on the second shirt and the sleeve cuffs, and the extravagant vest came over his head last. 

"Come lace me up?" He asked, holding his hands on the back of his head. Two gold laces accented both sides of the vest down by Dimitri's hips, and he figured he'd take this opportunity to slip on the earrings that matched the outfit - custom made, of course, just like everything else. Except the unique thing about these earrings were that they were made by his mother. 

Dimitri's stepmother, the queen, wasn't the most generous person in the kingdom. She had plenty of things for _herself_, so a gift from her was a rare treat, even for her own stepson. She had gifted the prince with those sapphire earrings upon her marriage to King Lambert when Dimitri was still just a boy. This would be his first time wearing them.

Still, couldn't his mother and her team of seamstresses at least ask for his input before making such getup? Faerghus was cold. No one wore shorts except little peasant boys. Even then, they only got to dress leisurely until they were big enough to hold gardening tools.

Felix had been staring at Dimitri for quite some time now, trying not to laugh as the other got dressed. With each newly added layer, it became harder and harder for Felix to hold it back. But he was strong and capable and didn't laugh at his ridiculous fiancé. Felix couldn't imagine having to wear that. He would impale his father like a kebab if the man even _tried_. 

"Yeah yeah, gotta put the finishing touches on ...whatever this is," he said, walking over to Dimitri (and have his ass a tiny squeeze. Just a small one. They were engaged, and he could do these things). Felix didn't really understand how the vest worked, but he did his best to pull the strings tight through all the eyelets before lacing Dimitri up strongly. 

"Is this too tight?"

"No, that's fine." Dimitri had one more thing to put on: the collar, with its stupid black bow and beads that were there for no reason. He undid the back of the collar and slipped his arms through the long holes in between the beaded loops, and he finally fastened the end of the collar as the glass beads cascaded down the sides of his chest and torso, wrapping low under his arms out of harm's way. He slipped his feet into his mary janes, embellished with the same crest that decorated every other button and tassel (the crest of Blaiddyd, of course). 

Finally, Dimitri was finished. He walked into the bathroom, soles tapping against marble, and he sighed deeply at his reflection in the silver mirror. Everything was beautifully made and tailored just for him, and it really was a striking outfit. The only problem was that it looked like something he would wear as a ten-year-old. And he was _much_ older than ten. 

"Felix," Dimitri called, side-stepping into the doorway of the bathroom. "You may laugh once. Just once."

Felix did _not_ have to be told twice. He began snickering, watching Dimitri's ass in those tiny velvet shorts. Oh, and with the shoes and the socks and the tights and everything! The goddess had blessed Felix on this beautiful day with a most hilarious sight. At least it was expertly made. 

"Alright your royal highness, let's take you to your English tutoring," he jested, reaching over to grab Dimitri's arm to pull him away from the bathroom. 

Felix quickly threw on his boots, clasping closed the buttons over his thighs before opening the door to their chambers, stepping out onto the blue rug of the castle hallway and waiting for Dimitri to follow him to the main hall.

"Felix!" Dimitri shook his head exasperatedly, stumbling to catch up with his lover before holding onto his arm with both hands. He kissed Felix's cheek with a smile. "You're the worst!" 

Together, the two walked down the main hall arm in arm, playfully teasing, fighting and laughing along the way. Dimitri loved these moments with Felix -- they were the foundation upon which their love blossomed, forced or not. Neither of them had a clue about this Leicester guy, but whoever he was, he would never hold a candle to Dimitri's dear Felix. Absolutely nothing could.


	2. Chapter 2

Felix watched Dimitri wall as they entered the hall; he had been watching him since they left their room. Honestly, it was a little funny to watch him in the outfit, but Felix had to admit, Dimitri didn't look bad. Felix had always loved how his fiancé looked in blues, it complemented his pale complexion very nicely.

Felix couldn't help but snicker as they entered the reception hall, Dimitri making a few people turn their heads, whether in awe or surprise he honestly couldn't tell. Before Dimitri could die of embarrassment, however, Felix led them to the king's hall, where he spotted his father and Lambert babbling together.

Dimitri kept his eyes forward as the two walked up to the front of the throne room, his breath becoming staggered and uneven as he walked. He sighed quietly and glanced down at his mary janes, his eyes narrowing before he looked back up. The two caught the attention of their fathers, but before any words were exchanged, the double doors opened. A gatekeeper proudly paraded in.

"Your Majesty!" He called, jogging to the center of the carpet and saluting the King. Dimitri quickly took Felix's hand and rushed them both over to their assigned standing area: side by side next to the throne. Dimitri reached out to put his hand on the arm of the throne, which his father held with a kind smile. 

The gatekeeper continued. "May I present to you, on this day of the frigid Ethereal Moon, Claude von Riegen of the Leicester Alliance!" Dimitri always loved the gatekeepers--they were just dorky young men from the neighboring villages. A small smile came to Dimitri's face as the young soldier waddled shyly off to the side. 

Then, a new figure emerged from the hallway. Dimitri's eyes widened as he watched the young man--whom he presumed was this Claude fellow--and it took every muscle in his face to keep his mouth from hanging open in awe. He felt especially embarrassed to be in such silly getup now, and he squeezed his father's hand as he watched in fascination. He had never seen clothes like that. A noble walk like that. A smirk like that. Lambert only laughed at his son's anxiety.

_Thanks, Father._

The Kingdom of Faerghus was fucking _cold_. Gorgeous, but cold. It wasn't as if Claude hated it--he did quite like snuggling under blankets and wearing lots of layers, that was nice--but actually feeling that cold in your bones, especially being underdressed, was something entirely different. He had warned his advisors that this would happen, but they wanted him to look presentable rather than, oh who knows, able to make it back in one piece? 

Still, the Kingdom was gorgeous. Claude was mesmerized by the grandiosity of the castle, as well as nature outside. The alliance wasn't big on things like this, the whole multiple houses system meant there was no central location to have a palace such as this. And the people were all dressed so nicely! And the...goddess, the _everything_. Claude approached the throne, a bright smile on his face. 

And then his eyes landed on _him_. 

The blonde standing next to king Lambert: Dimitri Alexandre Bla-something, Claude couldn't remember. He was _captivating_. His eyes were bright blue, filled with passion for...something. And his hair looked soft to the touch, neatly styled around that perfectly constructed face. And his clothes...his clothes were so cute.

Dimitri locked eyes with the newcomer for a moment, which immediately caused blood to rush up to his cheeks. This man was handsome from afar with his kind smile and everything, but for Dimitri to earn a smile of his own? It was almost too much. He breathed out quietly and returned the visitor's smile, offering a shy wave as well before he turned his attention to the attendees. 

Similar to how Faerghus was bathed in blue, the alliance must be immersed in gold. All the accents of their uniforms were yellow-gold, while the Faerghus soldiers that Dimitri was so used to plated themselves in silver. He was insanely impressed with how put-together everything was, yet Claude himself--the man of the hour--looked so casual. So _cute_. Yet still put together in his own way, as if displaying the exact kind of man he was on his body. Dimitri wanted to try his clothes on. They looked a thousand times more comfortable than this crystal ball of an outfit, which was a far cry from any sort of resemblance to the kind of person Dimitri was. One wrong move and all the carefully arranged crystals would come popping off.

Meanwhile, it took all the strength Claude had to tear his eyes away from the King's son. He seemed to be engaged if the angry man next to him was anything to go by. That, and the king had begun to talk to him. King Lambert welcomed Claude into the Kingdom, informed him of quarters already set up for him, and peppered in political activities that were to happen during his stay, all which Claude agreed to excitedly. 

Claude had to remember this wasn't exactly a vacation. Sure, he was visiting, but he was expected to carry out his duty and learn the political ways of the Kingdom in hopes to strengthen his ability to someday discuss foreign affairs. If that handsome blonde really was the son of the king, well...perhaps he should go introduce himself. Claude turned eagerly to the two younger men. 

"Good morrow, Your Highness. An honor to meet you. And you as well, I assume you are Lord Fraldarius' son?"

Dimitri forced himself out of his trance and smiled his natural smile, letting go of his father's hand to bow in honor of their guest. "And good morning to you, Sir Riegan. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, son of King Lambert and heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus." 

The prince stood straight again and looked over at Felix, chuckling quietly as he continued to speak. "Beside me is my betrothed, Felix Hugo Fraldarius. The poor man will have to balance the responsibilities of being a House heir and a royal." 

Dimitri giggled playfully as Felix silently chastised him, and he hitched his breath when his lover stepped on his foot. The two had an unspoken agreement that Dimitri would do all the talking while Felix sat silently and simply looked pretty. Felix hated introducing himself, so Dimitri was happy to take up the responsibility. 

_Gods, I look ridiculous._

Claude side-eyed the king, noticing him deep in conversation with Duke Fraldarius. 

"Please, call me Claude. It really is very nice to meet both of you," he said earnestly, letting a soft smile grace his lips. 

"I'm excited to be here. There's so much of the Kingdom you don't learn about from the books! I'm very interested in walking around and really getting a feel for the place." Claude wanted nothing more than to grab his wyvern and explore the snowy land. And get warmer clothes. 

"If either of you have recommendations on places to visit, I am more than happy to hear. This really is my first time here."

Before Dimitri could answer, he glanced over at Felix, who was spacing out while staring at their two friends. More specifically, he was staring at Sylvain. Dimitri knew his lover always had a fascination for their older friend, and he squeezed the shorter man's hand before placing a kiss on his soft cheek. "Go over to him, Felix. You don't have to stay up here if you don't want to." 

With that, Felix said something snarky and quickly walked over to join their friends. Dumb, dumber, and dumbest all tumbled out of the room, and Dimitri laughed before turning his attention back to Claude. 

"My apologies," Dimitri said shyly, the tips of his ears glowing red. He hoped this handsome devil would think it was just because of the cold. 

"If you're interested, and if you have a free moment, would you care to join me for a ride? I fear I cannot take you far due to my godforsaken curfew, but I can take you to explore the perimeter of the castle grounds." This was perfect. Dimitri could change out of these stuffy clothes, get out there and feel the cold Faerghus wind on his face, and get to know this Claude character better. It was a win-win-win. 

"Though you'll have to excuse me..." Dimitri added, motioning down to his legs. "As I'm sure you've learned by now, shorts are not the wisest thing to be wearing in the heart of winter, especially up here in the north. I will be right back with more appropriate clothes, would you like me to bring you some layers?" 

Dimitri stepped down from his place next to the throne and took off in the direction of his bedroom, but he abruptly stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. "...Lest you'd like to join me? It would be an opportunity for you to see a bit more of the castle."

Claude glanced down at his clothes with an embarrassing side smile. His eyes trailed from Dimitri's shorts to his own very open shirt, which as his advisor proclaimed 'exposed his very nice chest.'

"It seems we were both dressed by forces out of our control today. Please, lead the way." Claude smiled at the blonde man, feeling his chest dance. Goddess above this man was to be married, Claude's chest had no business doing that loopty-loop bullshit. 

"And who better than the prince himself to give me a tour?" He teased, falling into step right next to Dimitri. What a gorgeous name, something that rolled off the tongue. Dimitri, Dimitri, _Dimitri_. He could moan that--_woah_. 

Not going there.

"I'd be happy to show you around." Dimitri walked casually, his posture perfectly balanced and squared. He had that beaten into him over the years, both literally and physically. It made his skin crawl just thinking about Gustav and how he occasionally hit the prince with the books he had to balance on his head.

Anyway. Tour time. "As I'm sure you've noticed on your way in, we have an assortment of portraits lining the right wall. Father comes first, so he's the first thing guests see, followed by my birth mother, then my stepmother. You may notice that I lack a portrait - it will be painted once I am eighteen." Only a few days now. 

Claude nodded along to Dimitri's explanations. Yet while the prince watched the portraits, Claude watched _him_. Talking about his family brought the most gorgeous glint to Dimitri's eyes, adoration mixed with happiness so apparent in the pale blue of his eyes. Claude had to admit, it was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever laid eyes upon. The Kingdom paled in comparison to the breathtaking man that was next to him.

"On your left, you will see an assortment of corridors and doorways, all of which are closed. That is the storage area and the retainer's quarters, neither of which are very interesting unless you like weapons." 

Dimitri's eyes glinted with childish excitement before he looked back at Claude, guiding them down the corridor to a staircase that led up to his own quarters. "If I may ask, for no reason other than to satisfy my own curiosity, do you like weapons? Are you fascinated by weaponry?"

"Ah! Well, I wouldn't say fascination per se. I train regularly, and I'm pretty good if I do say so myself. But I'm actually much more interested in heroes relics! I do love studying them and their history," Claude supplied. He could talk about it for hours, he did pride himself quite a scholar, but there was no point in boring his new friend. 

"I can tell you're a man who takes his training very seriously," Claude added. No, he was _not_ checking Dimitri out. His eyes were just...wandering.

"You could say that, and you would be correct," Dimitri replied, cringing in his head at all the extra, unnecessary words. "I love to train. Felix and I fell in love on the battlefield, and playful fighting is the root of our love language." Though subtle, Dimitri noticed the film that came over Claude's eyes when he mentioned Felix and their love. He wondered why that was. 

"History, hm? How interesting." Dimitri started up the long stairway once they arrived, and he slowed to a stroll to allow ample time for the two new friends to chat. "All I know of history is what my advisor Gustav told me. I know of the Hero's Relics, and I know I am heir to one--Areadbhar, and I simply cannot wait, it's such a gorgeous lance--but I do not know of its origin story. Or any of the origin stories, as a matter of fact. You'll have to teach me sometime. U-Um, if you'd like to."

Claude got out of the weird funk that Dimitri talking about Felix put him in real quick. He supposed it was the chance to talk about history. Still, it was strange. To feel so utterly devastated by the reminder that this man he met mere minutes ago was engaged. Frankly, it was unlike him. 

Claude blinked a couple of times, shaking himself out of that line of thought. "Well, I would love to! I have a huge array of parchments back at home dedicated to the Heroes' Relics. I'm set to inherit one as well. It's the most beautiful bow I've ever laid eyes upon."

"Then I suppose we are one and the same, Claude." Dimitri smiled once the two reached the top of the stairs, and they continued to chat nonchalantly until they reached Dimitri's room - the very place that the prince was so comfortably resting in less than an hour ago. 

"I apologize for the mess, I wasn't expecting so intimate a visitor," Dimitri grinned, rushing to pull the messy bed together to provide a place to sit for the young noble. "Please make yourself comfortable." 

For the next couple minutes, Dimitri busied himself with pulling the room together. He opened the curtains finally, gathered he and Felix's nightclothes and set them outside for a servant to pick up, until finally-- _finally_\--he could take off this godforsaken outfit. 

"Excuse me," Dimitri smiled apologetically. "But I must change. I will go into the bathroom to allow you privacy, but could I ask you to unlace my vest? I'm so sorry to ask it of you, I know we only just met, but...I'm simply terrified of breaking this outfit. It's so well made, and I...I'm awful with fragile objects."

It was horribly endearing, really, that Dimitri would go out of his way to tidy up despite Claude insisting it was alright, and he couldn't help the appreciative smile that danced into his face. The room was gorgeous and so different from the Leicester rooms he was used to. The stone room was decorated with crested banners, decorative scrolls hanging from the walls, and fancy, yet simple rugs on the floor. It was minimalist, yet with an air of class. Claude really enjoyed taking it all in. He did have to admit, however, that the rooms he was used to, all filled with tapestries and hanging fabrics, decorated in warm yellows and oranges, were vastly preferred. 

Claude's attention was snapped back to the other man once a beautiful voice reached his ears, and the Alliance heir turned quickly to meet sky blue eyes. 

"Ah, it would be my honor, Your Highness," he said sultrily, smiling as he neared the delightfully taller man. With a polite bow of his head, and a soft 'excuse me,' Claude wrapped bow-calloused fingers around the delicate golden ribbons, slowly working his way up the side of Dimitri's body until the other was promptly freed from the expensive vest.

While Claude worked at the lace, Dimitri held his hands atop his head, his cheeks burning as his new friend freed him of his bedazzled prison. He let out a breath of relief once the fabric separated from his body, and he lifted the thing carefully over his head before lowering it slowly to the ground. 

"That's much better..." Dimitri cooed, a pleasant smile creeping up his lips once he could finally breathe again. "You have my gratitude. Please sit tight, Claude, I promise to finish changing shortly."

Dimitri shut the door to the bathroom and brought a hand up to his face, gripping the golden hair that fell into his eyes as he thought about his guest. Claude was devilishly handsome and had a tongue to match. His lips looked smooth--_delicious_\--and Dimitri couldn't help but...cast his eyes down to the perfect tanned V line that Claude displayed in his traditional attire. 

_No. No no no, Dimitri, you are an engaged man_. The prince gently hit himself on the cheek before walking over to a pile of comfortable clothes, blessing whichever servant laid out his favorite combo: black high-waisted pants, an airy white shirt with excess fabric at the hem and the sleeves, and his favorite riding boots. 

"There are furs and cloaks in the wardrobe!" Dimitri called through the door, taking care to remove the rest of his fancy garments. "Please help yourself to whatever you'd like, Claude!"

The small smile Dimitri gave him had Claude's heart fluttering for the next five minutes. The tint of red, the radiance. Oh, Claude felt absolutely whipped. It wasn't strange for him to fixate on people he found attractive, but the prince was oh so lovely and charming, all shy smiles and reserved laughs, Claude could barely contain the dizzying feeling that overcame him. 

"Oh! Thank you, I'll help myself to something." Thank the goddess, for even in the heated room Claude could feel the chilly Faerghus air seeping in through the window. The wardrobe he walked to was huge, taking up part the wall, and once the man threw open the double doors (and after a terrifying crack echoed through his ears, man this thing must be super old), he was met with expensively crafted materials all throughout the rack. It seemed the cute little outfit was for special occasions, for he couldn't see anything like it hanging in front of him. Claude picked up a heavy cloak in an off cream color and threw it on, already thankful for the soft fur material heating him up. 

"This is great, thank you! I feel so cozy already."

Dimitri giggled and nodded despite Claude's inability to see him, and he meanwhile sat down on the floor to remove his shoes, socks, and stockings. He finally freed his legs completely before carefully unhooking the collar, moving as slowly as possible so as not to disturb the beautiful beaded strings. Once that was off safe and sound, Dimitri moved on to remove his shirt, and finally his undershirt. And he was free. 

Dimitri then scrambled to his feet and threw on his favorite clothes, and he stole a glance at himself in the mirror before smiling in approval of his reflection. He'd forgotten to take the earrings off, but he kind of liked how they went with his casual clothes. A small spark of flare against everyday wear. He decided to keep them on. 

Carefully, Dimitri scooped up all the pieces of his formal outfit and cautiously opened the door, walking over to the bed and dropping everything in a pile. Nothing broke, thank the goddess. 

If Claude thought Dimitri looked handsome before, the sight that met him as the doors to the bathroom opened was a gift from the goddess herself. The high waisted pants that accented Dimitri's powerful hips and long legs, the loose white shirt that exposed just enough collar. Claude could not have imagined being glad that the fancy court outfit was gone, but now he thanked every possible deity that he was blessed with this sight. 

"My goodness, Claude!" Dimitri exclaimed, approaching his new friend to help him button up. "An excellent choice. I must say these light-colored furs are my favorite as well." 

Dimitri had the urge to kiss Claude on the cheek, but he shoved it back down as soon as it came up. He cleared his throat as he browsed his options before finally pulling out a long, coffee-colored cloak that reached down to his knees. While he put it on, Dimitri internally scolded himself for that horrendous kiss thought. _You're engaged. You're engaged. You're engaged_.

"You look very nice, Your Highness," he complimented with a warm smile, watching Dimitri's deft hands button the coat. 

As Dimitri walked away, Claude (checked out his ass) walked over to the window, watching the snow fall onto the garden outside the Castle walls, enjoying the way the flakes landed on the bright green scenery.   
"You know, I barely get to see snow. The Alliance and Almyra barely get snowfall. It only falls in certain regions of House Glouster and Odelia that border the Kingdom and the Empire. Otherwise, it's a lot warmer out east."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly stand the heat. My childhood friend Sylvain and I have one thing in common: if the breeze doesn't supply ample chill, we'll both melt." Dimitri snickered and joined Claude at the window, sighing contentedly as he stared at the outskirts of his beloved castle. He wanted to reach out and take Claude's hand, rest his head on his guest's shoulder, lock his icy eyes with a sea of green...but no. He couldn't. His eyes were meant for the sunrise of another. 

"Well," Dimitri said after a moment of silence, stepping away from the window and heading over to the door. "We had better get going. Its already almost noon, and I have training in a few hours. Are you coming? Oh, and I should probably ask...you do know how to ride a horse, correct?"

Claude pulled his eyes from the magnificent landscape to land on an equally magnificent man. 

"I suppose it is the same as riding a wyvern?" He hoped so at least, or he was going to embarrass himself horribly in front of the prince. 

"Please, Your Highness, lead the way" Claude gestured to the door, smile bright on his face. "If you would allow me, I would love to watch your training? I'm not quite that into weaponry, but I can already tell you are a force of beauty with a blade."

_A force of beauty? Me?_ "Ah, well, you flatter me." Dimitri giggled and looked off to the side, his cheeks turning their typical shade of pink before he headed down the hallway. He walked with an added sense of pride now that the weight of Claude's compliment supported him, and he nodded thoughtfully as he pondered Claude's request. 

"Of course you may watch, though I warn you, amid the adrenaline I may challenge you to spar with me. Would you be willing to do such a thing?" _Please say yes. Oh gods, please say yes_. 

Sparring was Dimitri's love language. Seeing someone's true colors in the heat of a one-on-one showdown...it was _exhilarating_.

Claude laughed, pressing his palms to the side of his body before slipping them into warm pockets. "Well, how could I be expected to deny such a request, hm? I would be delighted, although I must warn you, I can wield an axe, but my specialty lies in the bow." 

There was no harm in downplaying his skill, and there was a glint of fun in beating the prince of Faerghus in combat. Although Claude suspected it may not be an easy feat. Or a possible one, but he could dream. 

"I will be content just watching too if you prefer to show off" he teased, walking in step with the man. They were going down a different hallway now, not the one that led them down to the king's hall, and Claude very enthusiastically took in his surroundings, admiring scrolls and tapestries on the walls.

"I prefer friendly competition. I'm not one to 'show off.'" Dimitri nudged Claude playfully and headed down the stairs on the opposite end of the hallway from whence they came, and the two continued to chat as Dimitri led them to the stables. The prince had a bad habit of clutching the reins hard enough to leave his hands irritated and dry, so the servants fashioned special gloves to prevent such a thing. In this weather, Claude would definitely need a pair for warmth. 

Or perhaps Claude should hold a pair of warm hands that were used to the cold. Oh no, it was too early for such a thing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fellas is it gay to want to kiss the prince of faerghus

With a knowing nod, Dimitri pushed open the door to the stable. He breathed in happily as the cold alpine air hit his face, followed shortly by the scent of horses that he'd grown up with. He approached a trunk at the end of the stable and lifted its top, pulling out two pairs of gloves and holding out the smaller of the two to the Leicester noble. "For you, my lord." 

Claude graciously took the gloves, carefully running his fingers over the worn leather before feeling the soft interior. These were clearly nice gloves, ones Claude could not wait to have on his hands. "Why, thank you, your princeliness."

Dimitri then threw his gloves on and busied himself with saddling up two horses: his own loyal steed, and a gentle mare for Claude to ride. If Claude rode a wyvern, he could very likely be used to bumpy rides, but none such on land. This kind girl would be more than happy to host a first-timer on her back. Dimitri saw it in her eyes.

Claude watched the prince work the horses, putting on the gloves quickly so he could try and learn along. It wasn't as if horseback riding was utterly foreign to him, he had dealt with Lorenz's and Marianne's horses on multiple occasions, and he rode on the back of one once during training. But he never had a horse of his own. 

"Now what might your name be?" he cooed quietly, approaching the mare with a soft look. He reached his hand up slowly, pressing his open palm gently to the snout and petting the animal there. The gesture earned Claude a quiet neigh, and a nuzzle against his gloved hand. He liked this horse.

"Her name is Patricia," Dimitri responded. "She is named in honor of my stepmother, who was present for the foal's birth." 

Dimitri placed a gentle kiss on a birthmark next to the mare's mane, brushing her lovingly before moving on to his own stallion. "And this is Loog, named after the King of Lions, our Kingdom's founder." He spoke a few quiet words of comfort to his horse before walking out with the reins in hand, the monstrous stallion following his master's lead. 

Dimitri mounted his horse with ease -- which his height helped with -- and slowly he rode back over to Claude, watching as his guest had a moment with his new animal friend. "I have her reined up already. Just guide her out of her stable, and she will wait for you. If you'd like a place to step onto before you mount, there is a stepping stool next to the trunk. I used it when I was a child learning to ride."

_I am not using a children's ladder to get onto a horse. I am the heir to the Leicester Alliance. I am more than capable of mounting a horse_. 

Claude smiled and Dimitri, taking the reigns in much the same fashion as he saw the prince do and guiding Patricia out of her stable, watching the beautiful horse effortlessly follow him out. He had seen Dimitri get on, and wyverns were quite similar, right? Carefully, he hooked his foot into the holder, testing his weight before he swung himself over, landing--shakily--onto the saddle. 

"Oh gods, I didn't think that was going to go that well," he muttered, patting the horse's body happily. He had only almost fallen off the side. Almost. 

"Please, lead the way, Your Highness. I'll be right beside you once we exist the stables."

Dimitri laughed gleefully and gently kicked his horse's side, strolling out of the double doors to the stables (which had been opened by a stable boy) and into the snow. "On your way out, would you mind closing those large doors? We wouldn't want the horses to get cold in our absence. They have blankets on, but regardless, they are living creatures too." 

Dimitri rode out onto the path that was groomed every morning, gently pulling his horse to a stop before looking over his shoulder to watch Claude. He wanted to make sure the foreign noble was comfortable riding before they went too far, and he also wanted to see if Claude could adjust to the back of a horse after growing up on the back of a wyvern, or so Dimitri assumed.

Claude's horse followed Loog without her rider having to do anything, so the man focused on getting the hang of riding. A lot of work on the legs, but not so different from a wyvern after all. 

"I got it!" He called to the prince, guiding his horse to turn around and very stubbornly not getting off to close the doors. It took a while, but he steered his horse back to lock each door individually, all while wearing and amusingly proud smile on his face. 

"Oh don't look at me like that, it was hard enough to get on, and I'm not getting back off until we are done, you hear me, Your Highness?" Claude teased, pulling his horse to rest by Dimitri's left side while shooting the other a small smile.   
"Now, let's go! We can go pretty fast on horseback, right?" And with that, he kicked his horse into gear, crying out in both glee and slight fear as the beast took off galloping towards goddess knows where.

"Claude! What are you doing!" Dimitri called after him, groaning and looking down at Loog. His horse turned ever so slightly to lock eyes with Dimitri, and the prince could see judgment in his stallion's black eye. The prince snorted before exploding with laughter - he knew this horse so well. With a shake of his head and a kick to Loog's side, the pair took off after their idiot guest and the more-than-eager young mare. 

"This was supposed to be a leisurely ride, you oaf! Slow _down!!_"

Claude laughed, pressing his torso flush against the white mare.   
"I don't know how to slow down, so you better catch up!" He yelled back, laughing loudly as his horse led him in random directions. Claude felt so free, and for a second, he was reminded of flying. The wind hitting his hair, his stomach twisting with excitement and adrenaline. He could slow down later, stop and stare the scenery, but now was the time for wild, unrestrained laughter and stupid horseback rides through unknown territory. 

Claude really hoped Dimitri was following. He chanced a small look back, trusting his horse to not kill them both, and saw the prince as a speck of black in the distance. 

"Come on, dear prince, time is wasting!"

"Claude! If anything happens to you, I'm dead!" Dimitri called back, unsure if his voice carried against the wind hitting his face. He whipped Loog with the reins to get him to run faster, and he soon began laughing as his bratty horse let out a huff of air that sounded like a scoff. Both the prince and his horse had these trails practically memorized, and thankfully Patricia did too. Was she taking them somewhere specific? Or was she merely thrilled to be running with the snow in her horseshoes, showing a newbie rider the joy of being on horseback?

People sometimes laughed at him, but Dimitri knew that horses had complicated feelings. He could read their eyes like no other in Faerghus could, and he knew that a bond between horse and rider was anything but one-sided. A horse cares for its loyal rider the same as a dog cares for its owner (and in Dimitri's independent and unbiased opinion, horses were more fun, but both were good). Gods, he hoped Patricia knew not to go too hard. 

"I'm surprised you're keeping your balance so well! It's awe-inspiring for a first ride!"

Claude laughed at that, turning to face Dimitri as he finally caught up.   
"I feel like if I move one inch, I'll fall!" He said much too happily. 

There was no path they seemed to follow, and Claude simply tried to steer Patricia to avoid any branches that might break his nose, at least at this speed. Claude could feel the harsh cold in the air, and if the exercise weren't keeping his body warm, he would've been trembling like a leaf. His hands were a little cold, as was his face, but the thrill of the ride trumped all. 

Claude cried out in fear as his horse galloped down a slight drop in altitude, clutching the reigns tight as to not fall. The trees seemed to space out more, and Patricia slowed to a trot as they crossed into a small clearing, facing the most gorgeous frozen lake.

Loog, meanwhile, seemed to know precisely where Patricia had in mind to take them, and the horse took off in a different direction to follow the mare's footsteps. This startled Dimitri enough to earn an involuntary cry, and he held on tight until Loog finally cooled off to a civilized trot. He took a couple deep breaths and rested his hand on his chest, his heart beating wildly enough for him to be able to hear under all the layers he wore. 

"Wow..." He whispered, dismounting the horse and tying the reins to a nearby tree branch. Time seemed as frozen as the lake, and even the snowflakes fell with less proximity. In all his years of living at the castle, Dimitri had never even heard of this quiet oasis. Yet how did the horses know of it? The snow surrounding was relatively untouched, spare the few animal tracks that trailed off in different directions. Dimitri stood still, slack-jawed as he took in the beauty of his kingdom. It honestly almost brought a tear to his eye. 

This--all of this--would be his land one day.

"This...this is gorgeous," Claude's voice broke through the silence. His gaze was stuck on the scenery, and he slowly dismounted without tearing his eyes away (which caused his foot to get caught on the leather and make him stumble into a tree with a quiet yell). Still, as he pulled himself off, dusting the snow off his borrowed cloak, he couldn't help but be transfixed. 

"I'm...I have no words. Did you know of such a place?" He asked Dimitri quietly. One look at the awed prince let him know that no, this must be new to him, too. 

"I guess this can be our secret place, then," Claude couldn't help but feel giddy at the idea.

"I had no idea such a gorgeous place was a mere horse ride away...how Patricia knew is beyond me..." Dimitri turned to his guest and smiled, finally taking Claude's cold hands in his own with a soft laugh. "And yes, I would love that, Claude. Our secret place." 

Thankfully his cheeks were already red from the cold, so his blush blended right in. "Pardon me for such a casual act. My goodness, your hands are cold!" 

Dimitri looked down at the two pairs of gloved hands, and he thought for a moment that he could help his guest get accustomed to the cold, at least temporarily. "Though it may not be exactly what you wish to do right now, may I ask that you take your gloves off? Just for a moment, I promise."

Claude laughed, turning to face Dimitri. 

"Alright, but I'm trusting you here, pretty boy," he teased, slowly pulling on the fingers of his gloves until they both came off, tucking them into his pockets and presenting his bare hands back to Dimitri with a wide smile. Even through the gloves, having his hands on the prince's had been almost ethereal. All Claude wanted to do was pull the other by his hands into a passionate kiss, but he better not follow that line of thought any longer. 

"I wonder how this place looks during the summer? It's gorgeous with the snow, and I bet it's equally as beautiful covered in green." Claude spoke to hide his embarrassment at being so close to the prince. He wanted to avoid staring at his adorable pink face like a creepy lovesick asshole.

"You'll have to come back during a summer Moon so we can find out together," Dimitri replied, taking his own gloves off and tucking them under his arm. "I hope you don't think this is odd...just trust me." 

Dimitri took Claude's tan hands and cupped them together, holding his own pale fingers underneath as he lifted his guest's hands to his mouth and nose. Dimitri blinked before leaning down, breathing out slowly through his mouth, his hot, slow breath thawing the other man's frigid fingertips. 

"My father taught me how to blow into one's hands properly," Dimitri explained, fighting every urge to kiss Claude's palms. "Before my stepsister moved away, I had to perform this on her regularly. She was quite susceptible to icy fingers. She would tell me that she needed thawing multiple times an hour." Dimitri chuckled as he recalled happy memories of playing in the snow with Edelgard, only for her to stop everything once her hands got too cold.

Claude was definitely feeling hotter. A lot hotter. He was wearing too many layers. Was his face on fire? Probably. He had no substantive response, and he watched Dimitri lean down over his hands and blow on them, the softest kindest smile on his face, his eyes the same color of the frozen lake. At that second, Claude honestly didn't think getting thrown in jail for breaking up a Faerghus political marriage was that bad. Not if he got to just lean in and steal a taste of those wonderfully pink lips. 

"I- thank you," he stuttered out, an amused smile on his face. Dimitri didn't let go of his hands as he talked, and Claude was happy to leave them there, fighting the urge to turn his palms around and tangle his fingers with those of the prince. Oh, Dimitri probably had very soft hands, calloused, but delicate nonetheless.

Dimitri leaned in closer and breathed out another hot breath, his lips ghosting over the skin of Claude's palms from being too close. _Uh oh. Okay, better stop now. I don't want to get ahead of myself._

With a closed-mouth clearing of his throat, Dimitri stood up straight and untucked the gloves from under his arm. "Here," He said, separating the mitts so he held one in each hand. "We'll trade. These ones are thicker, and I have one more trick." 

Dimitri lifted one glove to his mouth and breathed another hot breath into it, quickly slipping it onto Claude's corresponding hand so the heat didn't have time to escape before it met the other's skin. He did the same with the second glove before reaching forward, pulling the neglected pair Claude wore out of deep pockets, and by doing so, accidentally pressing his face against Claude's chilly neck. 

"O-Oh, um...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to- Um..." Dimitri stuttered, puffing two more quick, hot breaths into the gloves he now held before slipping them on. "...I apologize."

Claude heard screaming. Was somebody screaming? 

Oh, that was just his brain. How nice. 

He could feel his heart in his chest beating a thousand miles a minute, and he hoped to every god that Dimitri hadn't detected it. That small hot breath on his neck left the skin tingly, and Claude swore he could still feel it crawling under his skin like a warm blanket. 

"Don't worry about it, Your Highness. I'm all warmed up now," he purred, rubbing his gloved hands together and smirking. You could flirt with engaged men, right? That was socially acceptable? 

Oh hell, the king was going to execute him, wasn't he?

Dimitri's eyes widened in surprise before he let out a nervous chuckle, and he looked down at his feet before walking to the edge of the frozen lake. He shook his head and watched the snowflakes fall, a satisfied smile reaching his face as his eyes closed. "...Still, I apologize. Don't mind me."

Claude listened attentively, watching Dimitri's eyes light up as gazed at the icy scene.

"I've never skated, not a lot of frozen lakes in the Alliance sadly." Claude could guess he would be horrible at it. Probably fall on his ass a lot. Yet despite his words, Claude took a step onto the ice, a little afraid that it would crack under his weight. 

"This should be fine," he whispered to himself, shifting his weight as he took another step, then another, until he was walking on the ice. 

"Come on! The sky is gorgeous here!"

"Claude, I don't-" Dimitri's brow furrowed as his friend left the comfort of solid ground, and he looked down at his riding boots. They certainly didn't have any sort of traction that was meant for ice. Then he stole a glance at the horses. Loog was minding his own business. Patricia was eating pine needles. Something about the two of them reminded Dimitri of his blossoming relationship with Claude. 

With a shrug, Dimitri took a step onto the ice. It felt slippery under his weight, and he quickly jerked his foot back, clicking his tongue as he tried to muster up the courage to go out. "Claude, I don't think this lake can support a hundred and something pounds...let alone two hundred and something."

Claude turned to Dimitri, sliding towards him shakily.   
"Are you calling me fat?" He deadpanned, a faux hurt expression on his face. 

"That is-" he gasped dramatically. "That is so unprofessional, Your Highness! I'm waging war on you when I ascend to the throne," Claude joked. 

He extended his hand out to Dimitri, smiling widely. 

"Come on, take a risk, pretty boy! I'll hold you so you don't fall." Claude did admit he was a bit biased and would definitely enjoy holding the taller man. Anything to see him blush so deliciously red again.

"I'm not worried about falling, Claude, I'm worried about the ice breaking and us drowning. I can't withstand such cold water, so by default, neither can you." Dimitri looked to the side and bit his lip, trying to let the fact that Claude had called him 'pretty' slip past him. His pale skin betrayed him once again, but at least the blood rushing to his cheeks added a bit of extra warmth. This was the second time, correct?

With a scoff, Dimitri took hold of Claude's hand and sighed, finally pushing off from the snowy ground and embracing the full feeling of ice under his feet. The prince slipped and slid a bit before miraculously catching himself, his arms shooting out at his sides as he held his breath in fear. This was a mistake. He wanted to go back. The ice was going to break under them. "We shouldn't be doing this without skates, Claude..."

Claude laughed. "Do you have skates? Because I sure don't," he said nonchalantly. 

"It looks pretty thick! Plus I don't think it's a bottomless lake or anything, it'll be fine! You need to take more risks, love," Claude slid carefully to Dimitri and reached out, placing his hands on Dimitri's waist. 

"Excuse my wandering hands, Your Highness~" he purred as he pulled Dimitri forward, getting him to slide further into the ice. 

Ever so tragically, however, Claude miscalculated both his own strength and how slippery the ice really was. He ended up pulling Dimitri flush into his chest, which caused him to stumble backward. Not enough to fall, but enough to grasp on to Dimitri for leverage, which in turn pulled the other man effectively closer. Claude let out a cry of embarrassing fear.

"Claude!" Dimitri quickly moved his hands to rest on Claude's back, and the momentum the other had from falling pulled the prince forward as well. This put them in an incredibly awkward position: Claude's hands on Dimitri's shoulders, Dimitri's hands on Claude's back...in a dip. A _dip_. Something that couples do when they dance together. 

"Uh...u-um..." Dimitri stuttered, swallowing nervously before glancing off to the side. He wanted to get out of this pose and apologize profusely, but any sudden movements and either one or both of them would go home with a cold ass. Dimitri instead squeezed his eyes tight and hung his head in shame, his nose scrunching up. "I'm so sorry! This is most unprofessional!"

Claude giggled. "Ah! Your Highness, please don't drop me!" He looked up at Dimitri, feeling his heart skip a beat at the other's cute flustered face.

"That backfired a lot worse than I meant it to..." Well, he couldn't say it was a horrible situation to be in. He shouldn't be in it, but it was an accident so he couldn't be blamed, right? 

"Let me just-" he slowly tried to pull himself up, feet slipping under him as he tried to balance. 

"...I can- wait, I can do this-" Claude turned his body slightly, placing a foot in between Dimitri's own and widening his stance, standing up slowly. 

"There!" He turned to face the prince and found himself nose to nose with the prince. 

"I-oh...hello there~"

Dimitri opened his eyes and blinked in surprise before his bottom lip started to quiver, and he quickly jerked his head to the side so Claude's nose was instead touching his cheek. He closed his eyes again right away and breathed out slowly, his entire face glowing dusty pink with embarrassment for the hundredth time. His breath coiled out in transparent clouds, and he did his best to keep them level against his racing heart that Claude could most definitely feel. 

"H-Hello..." Dimitri stammered, his hands relaxing on the other's strong shoulder blades. His poor legs felt stiff - both from anxiety and fear of falling. He didn't want to move wrong. If he moved at all, Claude would sense it. Hell, Claude was so close that he might even be able to feel Dimitri blinking.

Claude let out a laugh, purposefully nuzzling his nose to the prince's cheek as he did so. 

"Well, isn't this a predicament?" He joked. No, it was not, this was heaven, and Claude was dead. That had to be it. 

"I think we've been stupid enough for today, what do you say we go back to our horses and do the whole casual riding thing?" Claude also supposed that if they kept this up, Dimitri would explode. Claude could feel the other's heart beating rapidly, or was that his? It could very well be, Claude's entire body was buzzing with energy. 

"Come on, we can slowly slide back," he said, pulling back with a kind smile and pushing Dimitri slightly so he slid towards the horses. Claude followed behind in ridiculously shaky steps.

Dimitri's feet turned when he was gently pushed, and the safety of land was so close he could almost taste it. Eagerly, Dimitri reached his arms out in front of him before bending down, sinking his gloved hands into the powdery snow as his feet continued to glide. There were more natural ways to go about doing what Dimitri was about to do, but he had Claude's bubbly energy bouncing around inside him. 

Without thinking twice, Dimitri kicked his legs up off the ice, bending them forward until he somersaulted onto the earth he so dearly missed. He landed flat on his back and left a perfect Dimitri-sized imprint in the previously undisturbed snow, and though his neck and head were instantly chilled, the young prince let out a warm laugh before rising back up to his feet.

"Thank the goddess...it's over." Dimitri shook his hair free of snow and patted the slush off his sleeves as well, stepping off to the side to look at where he landed. "Now the forest knows we were here."

Claude snickered, although he couldn't say that what he was doing was any less ridiculous. He looked like a foal trying to walk for the first time: all stiff legs and wavering around until he got to the snow. He stumbled onto the white earth and took a second to make sure he wasn't going to trip before he straightened and shot his arms up to the air with cheer. 

"You see! Now wasn't that fun!" He called back to Dimitri, who was busy dusting the snow off of himself. 

"Let me get that for you," Claude offered, walking over to the prince and slowly ruffling his hair, watching small flakes of snow fall from the golden locks. 

"Gorgeous..."

"G-Gorgeous?" Dimitri repeated, slightly glancing over his shoulder at Claude. Gods, his face couldn't get any redder. He looked back ahead and giggled nervously, holding a lock of his hair between his fingers and twirling it sheepishly. "I...thank you, Claude." 

Why fight it? The nearest person was at least a mile away. Dimitri wasn't sure how to reciprocate, but if Claude wanted to help him brush off, Dimitri had no reason to refuse. It was charming of him to offer in the first place.

Claude's eyes widened, and he stepped back immediately.   
"I'm- I'm sorry Your Highness!" had he said that out loud? Oh, goddess, he was in too deep wasn't he? 

"Please forgive me, I've overstepped my boundaries." Claude gave a small bow in apology, all intricate mannerisms that his teachers had drilled into him. It wasn't like him to be formal, but he really hoped he hadn't crossed any lines. 

"You do, just, um, look very gorgeous today, if I may say so, my lord," Claude may be in line to lead the Alliance, but being the heir to a head house did not compare to being the prince of a kingdom. At least his teachers said so. Claude didn't actually care.

"No, don't apologize." Dimitri shook his head and walked back over to Loog, petting his mane gently before untying the reins from a branch. He mounted his steed and sighed quietly, closing his eyes to collect his many thoughts before smiling warmly at his guest.

"I really would appreciate it if you didn't speed ahead on the way back. Take the time to take in the scenery. It's hard to do so when you're zipping through the trees, don't you think?" Dimitri wanted to change the subject. He was supposed to be the embarrassed one, not Claude. For some reason, he felt terrible for exposing Claude's thought that slipped out.

Claude laughed, pulling himself right out of his embarrassed funk, skipping happily back to Patricia. 

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say, Your Highness, but you have to admit that it was fun! I've never ridden a horse like that," Claude swore if he fell off the horse while trying to get on, he would kill himself on the spot. He was tired of embarrassing himself in front of Dimitri. Luckily, Patricia made his life a little easier, what a good girl. Crisis averted. 

"Lead the way, I promise I'll be good," he spoke happily, stroking the white horse's mane. 

Claude followed Dimitri side by side, quietly taking in the scenery, both out of genuine appreciation and to remember where exactly they had come from, just in case he wanted to go back to this frozen lake. It was gorgeous, Claude didn't want to forget where exactly they had come.

The whole way back, Dimitri and Claude made idle small talk between moments of comfortable silence. Dimitri explained why he was engaged to Felix, how he felt about the relationship (it was going well, but...that was it. it wasn't exceptional or anything), and what sort of man his father was so Claude knew what to expect when it came time for serious business. 

Before they knew it, they were back at the stables. By then, the stable boy was out to open the doors and take the horses into care, and Dimitri dismounted first so he could help Claude if need be. If he managed to stay on the horse while flying through the woods, Dimitri had faith that Claude wouldn't accidentally fall off Patricia. At least he hoped so.

Claude hadn't realized how straining horseback was, and while his legs were accustomed to wyvern riding, both were different enough that his body wasn't fully accustomed. He really thought that if Dimitri hadn't been there to aid him, his legs would've locked up, and he would've met a face full of gravel.   
"Why, thank you, Your Highness," he purred, patting Dimitri on the shoulder with a happy smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Claude have a friendly sparring session! Dimitri wants to kiss Claude, and Claude almost gets turned on by watching Dimitri fight.
> 
> ALMOST.

"You did say to train now, correct? I'm eager to see you wield a weapon; I can guarantee it'll be-" _Hot as hell_  
"-a sight to behold, for sure," Claude spoke sultrily, his natural charm bleeding into the words. Claude could see a deeper wavering in Dimitri's eyes when he spoke of Felix. Not scorn, but resigned acceptance. That was the moment Claude solidified his advances. Nobody was getting married unhappily on his watch.

"Yes, I fear it's time to train. You'll be able to meet my father's advisor, Gustav, who had a significant part to play in my upbringing." Dimitri nodded over to the door leading inside, stripping free of his winter clothes before heading in that direction. 

"Come now. We mustn't keep the old man waiting. You can count on Felix being there as well. He and I are both happiest with a weapon in hand." Dimitri chuckled before heading down the hall, smoothing his hair to make sure he looked presentable. He wouldn't be able to explain that he'd somersaulted hands-first into the snow.

Claude followed behind the prince. After befriending hardy individuals like Leonie and Raphael back home, people like Dimitri and Felix were not uncommon in his life. Still, he could feel Dimitri's strength in his posture and eyes, like an unparalleled force kept back by sheer willpower. Claude was very excited to study it. 

"Say, did you and Felix grow up knowing you were to be married? I'd never have had the strength to grow up knowing I was in wedlock. I can't imagine what crazy stunts I would've pulled to get out of it, especially if I had known it from childhood."

Claude understood the importance of political marriages, but he respected the love which his parents shared much more. Hell, his mother had run away from a life of nobility to marry a common man, and in the process left behind her own arranged marriage. It was that life that Claude hoped to have one day, not to be married off to some heir of a house and live in disappointment for the rest of his life.

"Rodrigue, my father's right-hand man, is the duke of House Fraldarius, if you remember," Dimitri called over his shoulder. "House Fraldarius is one of if not _the_ closest house to the royal family. Whether we wanted to or not, Felix and I grew up together, as well as Felix's older brother, Glenn." Dimitri took a moment to think of Glenn, his best friend, wingman, rock, shield, what-have-you. It had been a long time since he'd seen the old knight. 

"Anyway, our fathers saw Felix and I's blossoming relationship as an opportunity to bind our families for good. We were placed into this political engagement about five years ago, and luckily we fell in love for real somewhere along the way. So at least there's that." 

Dimitri finally reached the training grounds, and he stepped off to the side to begin preparing himself. He needed to change into shoes better suited for running, as well as sharpen his lance. "And now here we are, five years later and as happy as ever. While I do sometimes wonder what it would have been like to fall in love with someone organically, such a future would be impossible for me. I am my father's only son and heir after all."

Claude felt his eyebrows knit together. _At least_ they were in love? Something still didn't sit right with him. 

"I have a distaste for political marriages, personally. My mother ran from her own to elope with my father. Falling in love like that is a dream of mine, honestly," Claude admitted. He walked over to the bows and spoke while facing them, admiring the kingdom's way of crafting and how different it was from the alliance's method. He would love to practice with one of these. 

"Political marriages are common back home, what with all the houses looking to overthrow House Reigen and all that." 

Dimitri let out a half-laugh before standing up from meanwhile polishing his lance, swinging it a few times to hear the sweet sound of metal cutting air before jogging out to the training ground. Gustav was already out there waiting, and soon the two were clashing blades while the older man barked orders. Dimitri occasionally laughed if his advisor snuck a joke between commands, and every step further amplified why the young prince loved training so much. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Dimitri kept stealing glances at Claude, and he even saw Felix's figure at the other side of the training outskirts. He wondered if the two would talk to each other, or if either would come out to join him. It was common knowledge that Felix struggled to tear his eyes off a fight.

Claude did end up picking up a bow, and he spun it a few times for fun. He could see an empty target range right beside the open training area, which he could only assume was meant for the kingdom's archers. The noble supposed there weren't many of them, as the targets were not very worn down. Once he turned again, bow in hand, he stopped dead in his tracks, mesmerized instantly by Dimitri's movement on the battlefield. He could barely tear his eyes away. 

Claude often compared lance users to performers, dancing away from attacks with grace, but Dimitri was different. Dimitri was raw power, with a stance that exuded strength from the bottom of his feet to the ends of his hair. Pure, unhinged energy that made Claude gasp quietly as the two weapons met. Oh, gods, he needed to warm up if he wanted to stand even a remote chance. Claude quickly pulled his eyes away, walking over to the archery range and breathing a few times slowly, trying to even out his heartbeat. Drawing an arrow out of a complimentary quiver and knocking it into his bow, he began to practice his craft.

Dimitri's eyes tended to go a bit manic when he sparred, and his overwhelming amounts of strength often caught up to him. He cornered Gustav with a surprise maneuver and pressed his lance against the other's axe, a full, crazy smile creeping onto his face as he pushed with all his might. Gustav finally tore away, but Dimitri didn't falter in the slightest. He glanced over at Claude, who had gone to do his own thing, and then to Felix, to whom he gave a wink. His lover rolled his eyes and waved his hand, which Dimitri took as a sign to get back to it. 

Man, he wished Claude was watching. He understood his guest's eagerness to explore exotic weapons--Dimitri would be doing the same thing in his position--but he still wanted Claude's undivided attention. 

_Huh. Wonder why that is._

Claude missed five out of the ten targets he shot, which was downright pathetic. His mind just wasn't into it; he kept sneaking glances over at Dimitri. Gods when he landed that final blow, with the full, power-hungry smile, Claude had accidentally shot his arrow into the nearby storehouse. The shaft was still sticking out of the roof, mocking him. With an annoyed huff, he walked over to the target, pulling out the arrows that did make it in and shoving them back into the quiver, throwing the bow back with it once he realized he wasn't going to get anywhere with Dimitri training right next to him. 

_Might as well train with him then._

"Ah, Your Highness. Might you spare a match for a poor weak bowman?" He teased. King Lambert and Duke Rodrigue walked out of the castle walls at that time, too, which was the perfect chance for Claude to show off. Huh, those two seemed to be together a lot also. Interesting.

Dimitri waved at his father (fathers?) with a much kinder smile before nodding in thanks to Gustav, who permitted him to return Claude's call. The prince jogged over to Claude and held onto the gate separating the main battleground from the sidelines, leaning on the wood railing and raising an eyebrow. 

"Well I would love to spar with you, Claude, especially now that we have a sizable audience," Dimitri motioned over to the four men who gathered together, and though the prince didn't like to show off, he figured here was as right a place to do such a thing as any. "But how do you suspect we go about sparring lance-on-bow? Am I supposed to bat away your arrows as you shoot? That sounds incredibly dangerous."

Claude laughed, clutching his stomach. Oh, _that_ was a fun mental image. 

"No, as funny as that sounds, no. I'm equally as proficient with an axe, I'll have you know. It is customary in my homeland to wield axes, much like it is to wield lances here. The bow is just my personal favorite. Eventually, though, I will inherit a wyvern and be expected to master the axe anyway." Axes were fun, but Claude preferred keeping his distance. That didn't mean, however, that he was useless up close - he could be deadly with an axe. 

"So how about we train together, your lance versus my axe, and see what happens, huh?"

"You're on." Dimitri eagerly ran back to the center of the battlefield, twirling his lance in both hands as he waited. He looked over at his four favorite men and smiled, throwing another wave their way. He wondered what they were talking about, why his father and Rodrigue had come out to watch, and how Felix felt about the prince sparring with an outsider. This whole ordeal was pretty much their equivalent of having sex with your best friend's girlfriend while they watched. 

In any case, Dimitri turned his attention back to Claude. What axe would he choose? Iron? Steel? Silver? Specialty weapons were reserved for tournaments and special occasions. Standard weaponry was the only thing allowed for training.

Claude picked up a sturdy silver axe, twirling it in one hand to test its weight. It was much like what he was used to, thankfully, which meant it worked perfectly for him. Axes were in his lineage, and by that decree, integral to his training. Claude knew he had a fair chance of winning with this, but it wasn't like he couldn't say the same about his opponent. 

Claude only had the time from when he started walking to when he reached Dimitri to formulate a plan. Facing the other head-on would be certain death for him; Claude was quick and agile, but a couple of strong hits from Dimitri would crumble him. However, raw power comes with a hinderance: lack of mobility and speed. Claude was quick, a perk of drawing a bow for so long. If he could avoid receiving full attacks, Claude could widen himself enough to begin landing his own on Dimitri.   
"Alright! Let's do this, Your Highness."

"Please, Claude," Dimitri said, twirling his lance above his head before digging its end into the dirt. "You are the guest. It is only fair that you strike first." Gustav was a noble knight. He taught Dimitri and Felix to treat their opponents with respect and continuously reminded them that they were human beings as well. The two started every sparring session with a long, warm embrace and a kiss, but there was no way such a thing was possible with Claude. 

Dimitri picked his lance back up and bent his back leg, holding the business end of his weapon at an angle that tilted to the ground. His leg ran parallel to the shaft, his eyes never straying from Claude's many excellent features. He was ridiculously handsome. Not that Dimitri would ever say that out loud.

Claude gave a courteous bow, rising to meet Dimitri's eyes with a smirk.   
"An honor," and with that, Claude rushed forward, hands gripping the handle tightly, knees low to the ground to maintain his body weight. He ran as fast as he could, intent on swinging at Dimitri with all his might, eyes set on the middle of Dimitri's chest, where he planned to strike. Once Claude was within melee range, he swung his axe up with a cry. 

And at the last moment, he used the momentum of the axe coming down to spin around Dimitri, aiming to strike at his back instead.

Dimitri's eyes widened at the surprise before he ducked and rolled, quickly looking over his shoulder at Claude before jumping back to his feet. He took a few long strides before sweeping the tip his lance against Claude's chest, and he tried not to hit too much exposed skin. Claude's v-neck covering made such a feat difficult, but so be it. He could make it work. 

"Gods, Claude!" Dimitri laughed, jumping back before the other man could retaliate. He breathed out a sharp breath and spat on the ground (classy, Dimitri, your father is here), manic smile returning to its rightful place on the prince's face. "You're good...but are you good enough?"

Claude smirked, lowering himself close to the ground again, shifting the axe to one hand instead of two and bouncing on his feet, licking his lips. 

"Oh Dimitri, never underestimate an outsider," he purred, winking at the prince before he rushed forward again, striking Dimitri's lance to shake him off balance before retreating and swinging at the prince's side. 

Claude had to admit, his style was slightly chaotic, but he much preferred to keep his opponent on their toes rather than fight honorably and straightforward. Winning wasn't always clean, and Claude was the best at getting his hands dirty.

Dimitri threw his arms under Claude's to stop his momentum, and he used the pointy butt of his lance to jab Claude in the back of the knee to make his leg give out. He then bounced back before hitting Claude on his way down, and a low laugh involuntarily escaped his throat.

The sparring match continued like that for a few more minutes. The two were pretty evenly matched, and they both had devious, hungry grins on their faces as they battled it out. Only did they stop when Lambert's booming voice echoed through the catacombs of the training ground, and though he did not decide a winner (goddammit), he did announce that supper would be ready at any moment. 

At that very moment, almost cinematically, Dimitri's stomach rumbled. Oh, gods, he hadn't eaten anything that whole day. How in the world did he have the energy to spar that well? Claude must have brought it out of him. At least he'd be sleeping like a baby tonight.

Claude could feel his heart beating against his ribcage, and heard it going wild in his ears. Despite the cold, his entire body was burning with adrenaline, and he could've kept going for hours. He wasn't even big into training, but that...gods, that could have been described as erotic. It was insane, Dimitri radiated strength and power, and Claude drank it up. He was almost sad dinner was soon, even if he was slightly hungry. 

"I...I need a bath. And maybe a 30-hour nap," Claude mumbled from the place on the ground where he had promptly fallen after their match had ended. He stared up and the beautiful Faerghus clouds and thought of how much his limbs were going to hurt the next morning. He needed to dunk his body in ice or something to preserve it.

Dimitri smiled and gave Claude a friendly tap on the stomach with his lance. He then jogged over to place it where it belonged before promptly doubling over the fence. He held his hands over the back of his neck as he fought to catch his breath, and he spat up a mixture of saliva and phlegm onto the dirt (thankfully, he was facing away from everyone, so no need to worry about grossing them out.)

Dimitri's throat felt tighter from how hard he worked himself, and the fact that he hadn't eaten didn't help. He stretched his arms above his head before bending back upright, and he exited the training circle to meet the audience. After a few compliments, none of which came from Felix (besides a small smile and a pat on the shoulder), the five of them looked back at Claude. He hadn't moved. 

"Father, if Claude insists on staying on the floor before a snowstorm allegedly hits tonight, why should we bother him? He's our guest, after all."

Claude groaned as he overheard Dimitri talk about him. "Leave me alone! You broke me!" he cried dramatically, throwing both his arms into the air before letting them flail down over his face. 

His legs yelled at him, as did his arms. He didn't want to get up. But if he wanted to clean up...

"Can a kind person please point me in the direction of your baths. I need to cleanse myself and breathe life back into my body, please." With way too much effort, Claude pulled himself to a sitting position, flashing a dumb, cheeky smile at Dimitri.

"Please eat something first, Claude," Dimitri called, holding his arms out to pull Felix into a tight embrace. He picked his lover up momentarily and twirled around, laughing at Felix's crescendoing cry of protest until his feet met the ground again. Dimitri placed a kiss on Felix's temple and took his hand, looking into the shorter man's pretty brown eyes. "Now I wonder what sort of day you've had, my dear...I look forward to checking in with you tonight." 

After Felix had gone inside, and though Dimitri was asked to join him, the prince decided it best to wait for Claude. Their poor guest would get helplessly lost in seconds without an escort (just a guess), and he would be late for dinner. "Come along! I'll alert a servant that you'd like a bath in a little while!"

Claude groaned as he forced himself to stand, cracking his weak oversized joints as he walked over to Dimitri.   
"Ah, I'm coming, I'm coming!" He complained, jogging to catch up to Dimitri.   
"Thanks for waiting, sweetheart. I can't believe I feel this tired. It's been a while since I've met someone who can keep up with me. I've also been slacking, but you didn't hear that from me."

If his advisors saw him now, going to dinner with royalty as a sweaty mess, they would kill him without hesitation. 

"That was the most fun I've had training in a long time. Thank you." 

_Also you were really hot and I think I had to fight off a boner._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! So sorry that this took longer to upload! Zach had been studying for midterms and I was finishing up work on various projects and test prep :') anyway! Thank you for reading and keeping up with the story! Hopefully chapter 5 will be up before Halloween~


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You give me chills" just got a whole new meaning.

Dimitri chuckled and gave Claude a friendly pat on the shoulder, walking over to the castle entrance before heading inside. He sighed and walked into the main hall, observing his reflection in a mirror that hung there. He looked relatively the same: hair a bit disheveled, shirt a bit dirty, shoes even more stained, earrings...

Oh no. 

Oh no no no. No. 

Dimitri ran up to his reflection and lifted his hair, his heart picking up speed when he realized he was missing his earrings. Not one, but _both_. Those were specially made for him by his mother, who checked in frequently to make sure they were to his liking. And he'd gone and lost them. Who knows where they could have gone. 

"Oh no...gods, please no..." Dimitri shook his head in disbelief and sprinted back out to the training ground, scrambling over the fence so he could check every inch of dirt for any sign of them. None. He checked every inch of the weapon storage. Nothing.

_Calm down. Calm down. Don't start hyperventilating. Don't be that guy. Go eat. It's okay. They're here. They have to be._

Claude was about to make a quip at Dimitri, but then the other whipped past him, almost knocking Claude effectively to the ground.

"Your Highness?" Dimitri didn't hear him, or if he did, it went completely ignored. He looked worried though; Claude had gotten a quick glance at his face, and those gorgeous blue eyes of his were clouded over in worry. He would be late for dinner, but things like that never mattered much to Claude. 

It was easy to catch up with Dimitri, who was standing in the middle of the training grounds, frantically looking for something. "Your Highness? Hey, look at me. What's wrong?" Claude walked over to the prince, placing his hands on Dimitri's shoulders gently so he could steer him over to a bench, shushing him calmly as the other began to breathe quicker. 

"Come on, in and out, slowly...there we go. What's wrong?"

"My earrings," Dimitri hissed, doubling over and resting his head in his hands. "My earrings! They're gone! Claude...when did you last see me wearing them?" Dimitri closed his eyes as tight as he could and bit the tip of his tongue, shaking his head frantically as he tried to retrace his steps. 

"Gods, they could be anywhere!" He cried, touching his empty earlobes with his thumbs. "I can't lose those, Claude...my mother made them for me. They were a gift. I can't lose those."

Claude thought back to their evening. He remembered seeing Dimitri wearing them on the lake when they had been so close together. "Here, calm down. I know you were wearing the earrings when we were at the lake. Take a second to calm down, then I can go look for them, alright?" Claude ran his hand through Dimitri's hair, trying to get the poor prince to breathe. 

"It hasn't been long at all. I know they're still there, okay? They probably fell off when you flipped onto the snow, which should be really easy to find!" Claude pulled Dimitri up gently, straightening him up with an endearing smile.   
"Come on, it'll all be alright. I'll find them, I promise."

"I don't want you going back out there," Dimitri protested, grabbing Claude's wrist with one hand and putting the other on the other man's chest. "The sun is about to set, and it's going to get much colder. It'll be far too cold for you to go exploring by yourself, especially since you come from a warmer climate. Not only that, but you don't know the area! I can't risk you getting lost out there while the light leaves the sky. It's too dangerous. I'll...I'll manage without the earrings." 

He most certainly will not manage. If his mother found out about the earrings, she'd be crushed. Just thinking about his darling mother's features turned downwards in a frown brought tears to Dimitri's eyes. 

Dimitri realized then how he'd positioned his hands - one on Claude's wrist and the other promptly touching his chest - but he didn't care. He had more important things to worry about. "Please, Claude. You're too important a person to be wandering through unfamiliar woods at night in the cold. You're...you're irreplaceable."

Claude felt a pang through his chest. Dimitri's kind words were only making him want to go out more. He never wanted to see a negative emotion cross those gorgeous features ever again. 

"Dimitri, listen to me," Claude reached over to press his hand to the other's cheek. "It's not that far away, I can take Patricia, we both trust her to get me to and from safely, right? It'll be fine, don't worry." 

Claude then reached down to clasp his hand over Dimitri's, the one over his chest. "Trust me, Please? I hate seeing you like this, let me do this for you."

"But what if something happens?" Dimitri said, shaking his head and looking down at his feet. They were standing unusually close, about as close as they had been on the ice, but Dimitri didn't have it in him to be embarrassed right now. 

Finally, after a moment of silence, Dimitri stiffly nodded and met Claude's deep green eyes. "Fine. You may go. Take Patricia and wear both my coat and yours got it? I don't want you taking any risks. Don't think that you'll be okay and that the 'fire in your heart' will keep you warm. Please take care of yourself. I–" Wait. "_w-we_ can't bear to lose you."

Claude reached up to wipe a stray tear from Dimitri's face, turning his head to the side with a wide smile. "Hey, I'll be fine. I promise. There's still so much of the Kingdom that I haven't seen! And I have yet to best you during training," he joked, giving Dimitri's hand one final squeeze before sadly parting. It looked like it was going to start snowing again, and Claude wanted to find those earrings before another coat of white blanketed all their tracks. 

Quickly pulling the coat Dimitri had given him earlier around his body, Claude promptly turned and ran to the stables, not wanting to waste any time. He had given a couple more "I'll be fine" quotes to Dimitri, at least enough to see the prince calm down.

Dimitri let out a defeated sigh before heading inside, trudging all the way to the dining hall before slumping down into his seat. He ate his food after explaining that Claude had "decided to bathe before eating," and he swallowed bite after tasteless bite without tearing his eyes away from his meal. It was comforting when a hand rested on his thigh - Felix's - but the prince shook his head to let his lover know that he wasn't in the mood to talk about it. Felix understood, and he placed a small kiss on the back of Dimitri's knuckles. All Dimitri could do was offer a small smile. Unprompted kisses from Felix were rare to some degree, so it was nice that his darling was so understanding.

Dimitri was never a spiritual person, but he prayed for Claude's safety throughout all of dinner. He made some attempts to spark conversation, but nothing stuck. So he prayed, and prayed, and prayed until the only words in his mind were:

_Please, Goddess, watch over Claude._ Over and over and over again.

~

Claude wasn't as lucky as he had hoped to be. Prepping Patricia, even with the stable boy's help, had taken longer than he would've liked, and by the time he was riding out of the stables, snow was already falling. Claude could feel the cold through his bones, and he quickly pulled his arms into the coat and tied it snugly around himself, urging Patricia to go faster. 

Thankfully, she knew where to go, and although branches hit Claude occasionally, scratching tan skin, he only urged her on. If the eye of the storm arrived while he was out here, needless to say it would be awfully dangerous. Patricia reached the secluded spot without incident, thankfully, and Claude jumped from the mare's back onto the snow without care. He could see faint tracks, Dimitri's and his own footprints, and thanked the goddess that the storm had yet to fully erase their presence here. 

Claude dropped to his knees, hissing as the fabric of his pants instantly dampened. He could feel the frigid slush against his skin, and it proved to be a good enough motivator to work faster. He began where the horses had been, searching and crawling closer and closer to the edge of the lake. At some point, his fingers had gone numb, even inside the gloves he had on, and Claude could hear his own teeth chattering wildly. Still, he pushed on, determined to see Dimitri's sweet smile once he handed him his earrings. As soon as he got to the edge of the lake, his hand wrapped around a metal object, and Claude pulled a piece of jewelry off the ground. After that, finding the second one was easy. What seemed to be hard was...moving his body...his limbs felt heavy...as if his joints had frozen over. Claude fell against the snow before he could start to worry, his mind slowly fogging over. The last thing that he heard was a dull neigh from behind him as his weak hand gripped the earrings as tightly as it could.

~~

_"Your Highness!"_

Dimitri looked up from his food and rose to his feet, looking in the direction from which an anguished cry came. The stable boy, disheveled and out of breath, gave the prince a worried look, and Dimitri sprinted as fast as he could down the hallway and to the stables without a word to anyone crying for him to come back. 

There Claude's favorite mare was, her breaths leaving white clouds in front of her nostrils. She was visibly distressed - had seen something that frightened her - and Dimitri immediately knew that her rider was in trouble. In one swift motion, Dimitri grabbed his coat, stuffed his gloves in his pocket, and skillfully mounted Patricia as she began to move. Together the two breezed through the trees, Patricia sprinting along this trail for the third time in less than twenty-four hours, she and Dimitri equally distressed. 

"Claude!" Dimitri screamed, his voice echoing through the empty woods. He heard birds waking up and taking flight. _"Claude!!"_

No answer. Patricia slowed to a stop at the lake, and Dimitri gasped in shock before practically falling off the horse from dismounting so fast. He ran through the snow, stumbling once or twice against the slippery ground before finally collapsing to his knees next to Claude's cold body. 

"Gods...oh gods, Claude..." Dimitri whimpered, pulling the other man's body face-up into his lap. Poor Claude's tan skin had already gone pale, and in his gloved hand lay the two earrings. Dimitri grabbed them and shoved them in his coat pocket. 

"Claude...I-I'm so sorry..." He whispered, tears turning to ice as they fell from equally icy eyes. "It wasn't worth it...you shouldn't have traded your life for some stupid jewelry." The prince held his ear down to Claude's mouth and nose, his lips sealed together as he anticipated the worst. Claude was dead. He'd been out here for hours, freezing to death in a remote forest with no one around. His body would freeze over, and his existence would fade away in a single night, the snow covering his corpse as though he'd never been there.

Those were the thoughts that plagued Dimitri's mind, making him cry harder and harder until he felt a slight puff of air against his ear. With another soft gasp, Dimitri pulled away and covered his mouth with both hands.

Claude was _alive._

"Excuse me..." Dimitri sat up and picked up Claude's body with ease, walking back over to Patricia while she gave them an apologetic look. Carefully Dimitri draped Claude's body over Patricia's back, and the sweet girl pinned his limp legs against a tree so he wouldn't slip off. Dimitri mounted and pulled Claude back into his arms, stroking Patricia's snowy white mane as he quietly wept. 

"Take us home, big girl...quickly, but be careful." Dimitri secured Claude under his arms so he could hold the reins, and Patricia -- clever girl -- took off back to the castle. All Dimitri could do on the ride was cry. He couldn't bring himself to look at Claude's face. Not while he was unwell.

The ride home felt like it had taken a thousand years. He felt like he'd traversed the entire land of Fódlan to get back, and every moment spent in the dark, stormy woods was a moment wasted. Dimitri breathed out shakily as a chill shot up his spine, and he let go of the reins once the castle was in view. He pulled Claude closer still while Patricia slowed down, and the prince somehow dismounted while carrying his guest's body. Before running inside, the young man looked at the brave old horse, putting his head to her snout as the stable boy took the prince's coat. He put the earrings in Dimitri's pants pocket, as per the request of the prince. 

"Thank you, Patricia," Dimitri whispered, placing a kiss on the horse's nose. "You'll see him again soon."

Dimitri sped inside, holding Claude's icy body against his chest before bolting straight up to his room. He ran into some servants along the way, to whom he gave a wild, teary look to signify that they should keep their mouths shut. He didn't have time to see their reactions, though he did shout to one to fill a hot bath. Immediately. 

Dimitri finally slowed down when he entered his quarters, and he laid Claude's frozen body atop the many furs on the bed. He wiped his eyes and sneezed into his arm -- he'd been out too long as well -- before carefully removing the other's shoes, snowy coat, and gloves. 

"We have to get you out of these clothes...gods, please, Claude, wake up..."

Claude felt warmth, comfort, and yet... he fought as much as he could to remain conscious, but at last, to the faintest of angelic voices, he slipped comatose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes angst can be short and sweet! I think this is the shortest chapter so far? poor boys...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude is passed out naked in the bathroom. Meanwhile, Felix and Dimitri have a heartfelt talk about their situation.

The scene Felix stumbled onto was strange. Dimitri was crying; that much was clear, and it instantly caught Felix's attention. He rushed to his betrothed's side to place a warm hand on his back. 

"You're freezing! What in blazes did you do, Dimitri?!" The man was cold to the touch!  
"And what in the goddess' name happened to Claude?!" It felt as if his brain was trying to catch up to the sight in front of him. All Felix could do was run around and grab blankets, throwing a couple of them on Dimitri and rubbing circles over his body to warm him up.

"Felix," Dimitri said, rising to his feet and grabbing Felix by the shoulders to slow him down. "I...well, I should probably start from the beginning, shouldn't I." 

Dimitri looked down at Claude and shook his head, pulling the blanket Felix draped over him tighter around his shoulders before pulling his lover off to the side. He told Felix everything: the horse ride, the secret lake, the skating, the training, losing the earrings...everything. Every single detail. 

"Claude offered to fetch the earrings after I lost them. He had a feeling they were at the lake, and though I tried to get him to stay, he wouldn't take no for an answer," By now Dimitri had stopped crying, but he still held Felix's hand as a slight comfort. "So he went. Gods, Felix, I knew something bad was going to happen. I shouldn't have let him go." 

With a slow exhale, Dimitri slowly turned his attention back over to Claude. He looked peaceful in the wrong way. "He froze out there. His body isn't used to the harsh Kingdom winters. I knew it, Felix...I knew he shouldn't have gone. This is my fault. None of this would have happened if I hadn't been so careless."

Felix sighed.   
"Well, from what you're telling me, he couldn't have been out there for long. Let's get him a bath and warm him up." The servants should almost be done drawing one, anyways.   
"Strip him to get him out of wet clothes, wrap him in blankets, and then take him into the bathroom." 

This whole situation was so annoying. Claude was an idiot for going out there during a snowstorm, and Dimitri was an idiot for thinking it was his fault.   
"Look, it's not your fault. Don't start blaming yourself for something that Claude was dead set to do. His own idiocy brought him here. There's no point in dwelling in the past now. All we can do is warm him up and taken care of him. Now, uh...go strip him. I sure as hell am not doing that."

"W-What?" Dimitri said, his cheeks and ears turning their typical pink shade. He looked over at Claude and sighed quietly--it was true, part of the reason why Claude was so cold was that his clothes had gotten wet. Between Felix and Dimitri, the latter was undoubtedly closer to the foreign noble after today. He wouldn't want Felix to have to do it; not only would his lover profusely refuse, but it might also frighten Claude to wake up to a stranger undressing him. So the task fell on Dimitri. 

"All right, but will you do something for me?" Dimitri said, walking over to Claude and picking him up for the umpteenth time. "Take all the furs and blankets we have and bring them to the fire in the library. Warm them up and then bring them back. I'll take care of this." Would Dimitri have to bathe Claude as well? Why couldn't today have just been a regular day...

Felix groaned. "Yes, fine. Just get him warmed up. I don't want to deal with all the drama that would come to pass if he died on Kingdom territory." he mumbled, bending over to pick up blankets from the floor and toss them over his shoulder. 

Before he left, he lit a tinderbox, throwing it onto the smaller fireplace in the room and lighting it up so both Dimitri and Claude could warm up while he ran to the library. 

As he walked, Felix thought back to the sparring match today. Watching Dimitri and Claude's fight had been confusing, to say the least. Everyone on the stands could feel the crashing of energy, the tension, and Felix had never been so entranced from watching a fight in his life. Seeing Dimitri laugh, that brightness in his eyes, made Felix realize the situation they were in. Felix did love Dimitri, but he supposed they had both been burying the reality of their marriage. It was forced, unnatural. And Felix missed being _friends_ with Dimitri, not a sudden figurehead. So when he saw Dimitri and Claude's raw, budding attraction, Felix felt content. Because that's how it should be for both of them.

Dimitri sighed quietly and looked down at Claude, resting one cold forehead against another before walking into the bathroom. Sure enough, a servant had prepared a bath, and the steam from the water still rose high. Dimitri kicked the door closed behind him before setting Claude down, a weight crushing down on his chest when he realized what he had to do. 

"I'm sorry, Claude...please forgive me," Dimitri whispered as he began to strip Claude of his clothes. He started with Claude's socks, then worked his way upwards, skipping the legs for no). The prince separated Claude's deep cut shirt from his body, exposing a perfectly sculpted, tan body. As an archer, most of Claude's strength was in his upper body. His arms were toned and muscular, but not overwhelmingly so. His chest was hairy, as were his arms, which made him look and seem manlier. His bare hands, now that Dimitri got a good look at them, were strong and masculine, the tips of his fingers calloused from years of honing a bow. Right then, Dimitri swore he felt an arrow strike his heart. 

All right, no more stalling. Dimitri's blush spread down to his neck and shoulders as he fiddled with Claude's pants, and after fighting with the fasteners and buttons, he was finally able to get them off. This left Claude in only his underpants. 

For a moment, Dimitri considered leaving them on as he lowered Claude into the basin, but that was stupid, he decided. What would Claude do with wet underwear? He had to swallow his pride and do it. Just take them off. 

With a nervous gulp and shaky hands, Dimitri grabbed ahold of the waistband of Claude's underwear, and without looking, he slowly pulled them down. At the same time, he stared at Claude's face--still twisted from the cold--to check for any signs of consciousness. If he woke up right at this moment, Dimitri would take a running start and throw himself out the window without hesitation.

Just then, Felix returned, breaking the awkward tension that lingered in the air. He was overheating from the hot blankets by the time he made it back to the room, and after throwing the door open with his foot, he dumped all the quilts but one on the bed. 

"Dima, I'm back with the blankets. I have a warm one for you," he called through the shut bathroom door, deciding not to burst in if anyone--_Claude_\--was indecent. "Let me know when I can come in or whatever." 

"O-Oh, one moment, Felix!" Dimitri called, looking down at Claude's naked body before, once again, scooping the other man into his arms. He used his pinky finger to check the temperature of the water before kneeling up, carefully settling Claude into the deep basin without taking his eyes off the other's face (or his chest). He eased Claude's body into a modest pose: hands folded over his groin, legs crossed, head positioned atop a soft washcloth in a comfortable position. That ought to be a respectable position while Claude's skin thawed, right?

Once he was satisfied, Dimitri took his own wet shirt, pants, and socks off. He figured he'd wait until Felix had wrapped him in a blanket to take his underwear off, and he piled up his clothes to put them with Claude's before opening the door. He'd never before been so happy to see his fiancé in his life. "Thank you so much, dear. I know such a task was impossibly hard."

Felix scoffed, stepping into the bathroom and wrapping a blanket around Dimitri's body, placing a kiss onto his temple before parting. 

"There you go. How's our icicle guest?" He asked with a snort, looking over at the sleeping Claude.

"I suppose all we can do now is wait." Felix wrapped Dimitri up into his arms, giving his body a gentle squish through the covering. He wanted his idiot fiancé to warm up and avoid a cold. 

"Watching you and Claude spar was interesting."

"Oh?" Dimitri giggled and snuggled up in Felix's strong arms, placing a sweet kiss on his lover's jaw before walking back into the bedroom. He decided to get settled in his nightclothes, which he somehow was able to do without the blanket dropping from his shoulders. He then headed over to the fireplace and sat down at the foot of the bed, pulling a couple more blankets onto his body before holding out a pale hand to Felix. "Come sit with me, darling, and lend be your warmth. Would you mind closing the bathroom door, so the heat stays in? We can talk while we wait for Claude to appear." 

Sparring had been interesting? Dimitri knew that Felix had always had a keen eye for reading people through sparring sessions, but such a thing hadn't crossed the prince's mind at the moment. He was too focused on fighting Claude to think of anything else.

Felix did not want to have this conversation. Well, he did, because he felt very strongly about it, but the thought of having to talk about feelings was not the best. Still, he took Dimitri's hand, sitting behind him and wrapping his legs around his lover, placing his head over his broad shoulder and sighing.  
"Well...how do I start..." 

Felix sighed again. He was doing a lot of that right now.   
"Do you know how he looks at you?" He decided to say, turning to nibble at Dimitri's neck. 

"While you were sparring, he looked at you like he was fighting a god, an ancient beauty. He was almost as unhinged as you were, as if he was letting out all of his genuine emotions. You did too. I haven't seen you look so free and unreserved in so long."

"Is that so..." Dimitri said, placing his arms on Felix's legs. He chuckled quietly at the slight nibbles before resting his head on top of Felix's, his eyes fixated on the tips of the dancing orange flames before them. A god? Wow. 

"I hadn't had an adrenaline rush like that in a long time, it's true," Dimitri admitted, his thumb absently rubbing Felix's ankle. "His fighting style was unlike anything I'd ever gone up against. It was...thrilling. He always had a trick up his sleeve, and the power in his stance...oh Felix, it had almost enough energy to knock me off my feet." Claude looked gorgeous -- absolutely breathtaking caked in dirt and sweat like that, both boys breathing heavily, spitting on the ground like barbarians and swinging their weapons like it was the end of the world. Dimitri had never experienced anything like it. 

"It was amazing. It reminded me of our first sparring session. You and I, the rain coming down on us in sheets, both of us stained black and brown from the mud...we must have gone for hours. It was then that I fell in love with you, Felix." Dimitri lifted his hand to run it through his fiancé's long hair. "It was incredible."

Felix hummed, smiling at the memory. It was one Felix kept very near and dear to his own heart. He wrapped his arms around Dimitri, giving him a quick, tight hug before he asked his next question.   
"Do you think this marriage was a mistake?" He muttered, eyes closing as though he couldn't bear to look anywhere.

"A mistake?" Dimitri repeated, turning his head to look at Felix. He swept a stray blue hair back behind his lover's ear, and he thought long and hard about the question. 

Felix and Dimitri had been playmates since they could walk. They both learned to wield a weapon before knowing how to write their own names. They grew up side by side, constantly bickering and picking on each other. They were best friends, and though Dimitri didn't necessarily believe in soulmates, he figured he and Felix were as close to the idea as could be. But now, that natural affection felt so far away. Ever since the king had announced their engagement, things changed between the two. It was harder to loosen up. Things were rushed, faked, and awkwardly handled, all to please their fathers. Every time Dimitri looked back on that happy memory in the rain, he assumed that it was the moment Felix captured his heart. But...could it all have been platonic?

"When I saw you with Claude, I realized what we both deserve: to fall in love naturally."

"I mean...I'm not sure, Felix, I'd like to hear your side of the story first." Dimitri turned to face the other man before taking both his hands, glancing over at the bathroom door to check for shadowy footsteps. Nothing.

"_Ugh,_" Felix held Dimitri's hands, yet refused to look at him. "I just...goddess, you're really going to make me say it, aren't you?" Felix groaned, pressing his chin to his chest as he emotionally prepared himself. 

"I want to...um...I want to fall in love. I want to be courted, and pine after someone, and all that gross shit Ingrid and Ashe love to read about," he blurted out.  
"And I feel like we didn't have that period and all that--whatever. Bullshit." Felix supposed that was a better explanation than he had planned, and Dimitri knew what he meant. He always did. 

"We both deserve someone like Claude--no wait, that sounded wrong. We both deserve to fall in love with someone like Claude. And you have Claude because he's here already, but I'm not with Claude. Y'know...y-yeah."

Dimitri smiled at Felix's bashfulness, and he leaned in to lift the other man's chin, so he was forced to make eye contact. "I understand, Felix. And I'm not offended." Dimitri sat up straight again and left Felix to position himself as he pleased, his eyes closing as he thought about what to say. Would it hurt Felix to talk about this for much longer?

"Honestly...this day spent with Claude has been the happiest day of my entire life. He brought me on an emotional adventure, Felix... no one in Faerghus could ever compare to a man like him. He's...perfect. I-I, w-well, um...he's like, uh, a-an ideal leader. That's what I meant. Fearless, brave, talented..." _Handsome..._ "A-And I want to loosen up like him. You know better than anyone that I've struggled with such a thing in the past. And I'm not sure if your feelings on this issue are prompted by another person, but..." Dimitri stole another glance at the bathroom door. "I've only known him for one day, and he's already engulfed my every thought. I just want to be there for him. Is that normal?" 

Dimitri shook his head and turned his attention back to the fire. "I-It must be because he's fallen ill. That has to be it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello! Sorry for the super long delay on this chapter, but here's some more words for you! This is one of my personal favorite chapters, I loved writing Dimitri's interaction with Felix :D chapter 8 will hopefully be up before the end of the month
> 
> No von Riegans were harmed in the making of this chapter. 
> 
> As always, you can follow Zach and I at the following handles: 
> 
> Instagram: @fuzzybunny78  
Twitter + fic commission info: @fernandfe15
> 
> Instagram: @diebreado  
Twitter: @diebreado1


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude wakes up and his interactions with Dimitri are almost as fluffy as the blankets they bury themselves in.

Claude woke up to extreme pain. His limbs felt clogged, his brain felt thawed, and his skin was cracked and bleeding in numerous places. But he was warm, so really, who would complain. The first thing he did was flutter his eyes open, thanking the goddess for the faint candlelight that adorned the room, which was gentle enough not to hurt. The second thing he did was let out a quiet, annoyed groan as his entire body began to slowly come to its senses. Even curling his toes was painful. 

Eventually, through trial and error, he managed to move all his limbs, hot water sloshing all around him as he shifted and popped bones. He assumed, in the time since blacking out, that Dimitri had taken him to his room. The familiar voice from outside the bathroom confirmed it. He remembered hearing the same voice right before he passed out. 

The water began to run cold, which was natural with how long Claude spent warming up in the bath. With great effort, he lifted himself off the basin, wrapping a towel around his hips and looking around the room. Uh..no clothes. Wait, had Dimitri undressed him?! Oh, goddess, that was embarrassing. Before Claude could muster the energy to even be bashful, however, he heard a fascinating bit of dialogue...

"I really care for him, Felix..." Dimitri admitted, shaking his head as he wrapped the blankets tighter around himself. "Is it because he's out of his element here? Yes, that must be it. That has to be it." 

At this point, Dimitri was more so talking to himself than to Felix, even if Felix was still listening. His mind was racing. Did he have a panic attack? Should they call a servant?

"Felix, I...I think I lo–"

Dimitri heard water splashing from the bathroom. Claude had woken up. Oh no, had he heard. No, that wasn't possible, he was slowly coming to his senses. The door was thick, no way sound could travel through so quickly. Yet he and Felix were able to talk to each other through that door all the time...

Dimitri didn't say anything after that.

Claude really was trying to not giggle like a little girl. Still, his lips were pulled into a goofy smile, and he had to pep talk himself wordlessly until he could pull his face back into a neutral enough stare. Still...to hear Dimitri say those words. Oh, goddess, he probably didn't know Claude had heard, how cute. 

The nice thing to do would be to wait a couple of seconds, give the others time for the conversation to move on before he left. Claude didn't particularly feel nice at the moment, so instead, he opened the door, a cheeky smile on his face.   
"Well, hello. Anyone got clothes I can use or am I parading the castle in a towel?"

"Claude!" Dimitri perked up, rising to his feet and leaving his pile of blankets behind. He rushed over and placed his hand on Claude's bare chest, relieved to feel the heat radiating off his skin. "Oh, thank the goddess you're okay...I was so worried." 

_Don't look down. Don't look at his abs. Keep it cool._ "Um...clothes! Y-Yes, of course! I apologize that I didn't think of that before!" Dimitri stepped over to the wardrobe and threw the doors open, rummaging through the drawers built into the old thing before pulling out a pair of old sleeping clothes that he'd grown out of. 

"Felix was kind enough to heat up all the blankets on the bed. Though I have to admit that I'm guilty of stealing a few," Dimitri giggled, folding the pale yellow pajamas nicely before offering them to his guest. "Feel free to use any of the appliances in the bathroom to your heart's content. Take all the time that you need."

Oh dear, Dimitri was so cute when he was flustered like that.   
"Thank you, Your Highness," Claude walked over to the blankets, bowing his head and smiling at Felix, who just waved his hand dismissively. 

"I think I'll retire to my own room for the night. I kind of want to sleep for the next three years, thank you very much." Claude's limbs still felt stiff and gross, and burying himself under a million blankets sounded divine. Maybe he could convince Dimitri to crawl in there with him. Claude could think of a few ways to warm up...

His mind was getting ahead of itself.

"All right. Would you like an escort to your room?" Dimitri offered, taking his place next to Felix again. Claude couldn't see it from his position, but Felix was giving the prince a devious, knowing grin. Dimitri gave him the side-eye, which sent his lover into a fit of suppressed giggles. 

"I'd be happy to take you, Claude. Anything to rid myself of my bratty fiancé." Dimitri glared at Felix again before pulling the smaller man into his arms and flopping onto his back. The blankets felt incredible under him. 

"Though again, take all the time you need! Our palace is yours."

Claude licked his lips, nodding his head slowly to Dimitri. "Yes, an escort would be terribly nice. You know how lost I can possibly get, and my limbs do hurt _so_ bad," Claude said dramatically, all with a goofy smile on his face. Yes, he wanted Dimitri to be with him, but in all honesty, he was very likely going to get lost on his own.

"Remember when you said you wanted to give me a tour of the castle? Man, that feels like it was years ago!" Claude laughed. "I think another time would be better suited. I may wake up with a horrible cold tomorrow..actually I feel it in my chest already," his voice, too, which was rough around the edges. Actually, now that he thought about it, he felt awful.

"Oh, you poor thing...let's get you to bed." Dimitri rose to his feet and stretched out his legs, yawning into his shoulder before sitting on the edge of the bed. "Go ahead and get dressed. Your room isn't very far. In fact, it's still on this floor, but I don't think it's a good image for you or me if you walk through the halls in nothing but a towel."

Claude blinked a couple of times before looking down at himself. "Oh! Oh, gods, you're totally right," he mumbled, backing up into the bathroom. At least it earned a snicker from Felix, who was enjoying watching these interactions a little too much. 

Back in the privacy of the bathroom, Claude changed into the nightclothes Dimitri had chosen for him. Back home, Claude usually slept in his underwear, so the idea of sleeping in clothes designed for the bed was foreign to him. He may have to snatch a pair for himself back in the Alliance. There was something so fancy about sleeping in silks. 

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's go!"

Dimitri smiled as he gazed lovingly at Claude, his head shaking absently as he rid himself of the blanket and walked out into the hallway. "Follow me, my lord. If ever you need something during the night, please do not hesitate to call for me." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Dimitri could see Felix watching him with that same all-knowing grin. It was torture for his fiancé to look at him like that when he couldn't retaliate with a similar look.

Claude hummed appreciatively, tucking his hands into his pockets as they walked out of the room.   
"Ah, well, if I need you during the night, I'll be sure to call you, Your Highness." Claude was having way too much fun with this. He now knew that Dimitri had certain feelings for him, and he'd quickly learned that the other man blushed oh so deliciously. Claude was going to have a little fun until he ultimately decided what to do. 

"Ah..." Dimitri laughed awkwardly at the remark and looked away, holding his hands behind his back as the two walked side by side. That typical dusty pink color returned to his cheeks in a fluttered heartbeat. "R-Right...well, um, I won't be far." _Smooth, Dimitri._

A relationship between them could end wonderfully. Relations between the Kingdom and the Alliance would be at an all-time high. The two nobles would eventually rise against the growing threat of the empire, and House Riegan would finally secure its power. 

On the other hand, it could also be catastrophic. It would break up Kingdom politics, come in between a kingdom marriage, and cause disruption in the Alliance from houses that preferred the empire. But despite all that, the only thing Claude really knew is that he wanted to kiss Dimitri, and he wanted to do it soon.

The two made small talk every so often on the walk, but most of the prince's thoughts were preoccupied with what he'd confessed to Felix. Would they pick up the conversation when Dimitri returned? 

Dimitri slowed to a stop in front of a door at the top of the staircase that he and Claude had taken that very morning, and he turned the gold doorknob to reveal a candlelit guest room. Like all the other rooms, most of the decorations were silver and navy blue. The bed was large enough for two people, and the view overlooked the training grounds outside. 

"I apologize for a room with an inward view," Dimitri said, walking into the room to begin turning down the bed. "But this is where you'll sleep tonight. My quarters are down a small alcove at the end of this main hall. If you need anything in a hurry, simply run a hand along the wall until you feel it end." Dimitri used to do that very thing when he was young and wanted his father. Nightmares had been constant during the young prince's life.

Claude nodded, taking in the room in its entirety. "It's lovely, thank you."

Now that they were alone, Claude turned to Dimitri, walking over to him and carefully placing a hand on the other's shoulder. He gently directed the prince to face him. 

"Your Highness? Thank you for saving my life today. I hope you got the earrings back, I know I had them when I passed out. Besides the point, though, I- thank you, sincerely," Claude reached up and took Dimitri's hands in his, a genuine smile at the corners of his lips. 

"There aren't many people in this world who would go out of their way to help others. Trust me, I know. From the bottom of my heart, you have my gratitude...Dimitri." Claude knew what being left alone to fend against evils was like. That loneliness haunted him, and likely always would, but Dimitri showed him there was still hope to be saved.

The prince looked down at Claude, his heart beating out of his chest and his bottom lip quivering, two signs that the prince was beyond embarrassed. In the dim light, he blushed deep red, and he had no cold weather to blame it on this time. 

With a long exhale leading to a heartfelt, wide smile, Dimitri held Claude's hands and nodded slowly. "Claude, you don't have to thank me for doing the right thing. I would be a terrible host and friend if I didn't go to fetch you. You were very brave to rise to the challenge, and indeed a challenge it was. During dinner, I..." _All right, Dimitri. You can do this._ "...I was so worried about you. I barely touched my food. When the stable boy came to fetch me, I knew immediately that something was wrong. The horse had come to alert me of the accident. I couldn't ignore the call." 

A single tear streaked Dimitri's right cheek. "Claude...you're irreplaceable."

Claude wasn't used to being irreplaceable. It made his hands shake and his head spin, but being needed like this was a delightful feeling. 

Slowly, Claude brought one trembling hand up to Dimitri's neck, pulling the prince forward into a hug. He pressed their foreheads together, and lazily he slid his head down until his nose pressed against Dimitri's neck. His other hand snuck around Dimitri's waist.

"I'm here. I'm here because of you. And nothing too bad happened, a funny story for the future, you know!" He joked, pressing a laugh against pale skin. 

"Don't cry, please. I'm here. I'm alright. I know it was stressful, but let's be happy instead." Claude gave Dimitri a soft squeeze to emphasize his words.

"I just...I was so scared, Claude," Dimitri whimpered, wrapping his strong arms around Claude's slim body. "I thought for sure that I was going to lose you...I should've never let you go down to the lake alone. At the very least, I should have accompanied you. It's because of my idiocy that you went through that." 

Dimitri rested his chin on Claude's shoulder, sniffling as he felt the other man's chest rise and fall with each breath. He wasn't crying very hard, it was mostly tears streaming out, but all of the nerves that Dimitri had built up throughout the night had finally come forth at once. It felt so good to be in Claude's arms -- so, so good indeed.

Claude massaged slow circles across Dimitri's back. "I know. It's alright. It's in the past now. Not to mention, now I know I'm horrible in the cold," He joked, his voice barely above a whisper. Claude thought that talking louder would ruin the moment. 

A much more positive thought snuck its way into Claude's head, despite how hazy he felt and how dulled his senses were. Dimitri's hair smelled _terrific_. And his skin felt so soft beneath his touch, Claude didn't want to pull away. He had half a mind to ask Dimitri to go to bed with him solely for the opportunity to cuddle.

"You're not kidding...don't go out there after sunset for the rest of your visit, alright? Under no circumstances am I letting that happen again." Dimitri brought one hand up to tangle his fingers in Claude's thick mess of hair, his head lolling off to the side so that he stood comfortably with his eyes pressed against Claude's neck. "And just so we're clear...if I collapse due to heatstroke in Alliance territory, you owe me." Well, now it was clear that Claude was rubbing off on Dimitri. Already. Corrupting the prince within a single day...the nerve.

Claude let out a laugh at that, one hand stroking gently up and down Dimitri's arm. A yawn involuntarily escaped him, and as much as Claude hated to admit it, he should head to bed.   
"Listen, you'll be fine in the Alliance. I'll just lend you some of my low cut shirts, and you'll be fine" It took a lot of self-restraint, but with a sad hum, Claude pulled away. 

Claude's skin still felt cold to the touch, and Dimitri wondered if he'd come down with a cold or fever as a result of this night. He'd never hear the end of it from his father if that were the case. 

"Ah, it seems sleep calls me. So do all those blankets," Those brown and black furs just had Von Riegan written all over them. "I hate to part with you.."

"It's okay. I'll be right down the hall when you wake up." Dimitri brought his hand forward to rest on Claude's soft cheek, flashing a gentle, loving smile before he stepped back.   
"Sleep tight, okay? Use all the blankets you need. Like I said, if you need something, you know where to find me." 

Dimitri went around and extinguished all the oil lamps in the room, sparing the one directly above the nightstand. He figured he'd leave that one for when Claude wanted to turn it off. 

Dimitri walked back out to the hall and sighed quietly, giving Claude one last loving gaze before disappearing down the hallway for the night. He'd never been so happy in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Happy holidays! We're almost at the end of this fic (cries)!!! Thank you for keeping up with this little story of ours, we love our boys~
> 
> I have an announcement! I updated my commission prices for the holidays. You now get more for less :D check my twitter (@fernandfe15) for more details!
> 
> As always, feel free to follow me at the following handles:  
Twitter (+fic commission info) - @fernandfe15  
Cosplay Instagram - @fuzzybunny78
> 
> Zach's info:  
Twitter - @diebreado1  
Cosplay Instagram - @diebreado


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad dreams lead to warm cuddles!!

Claude couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he pulled the sheets back to get into bed. Dimitri was everything Claude had ever wanted. No, better! Claude felt so happy, so comfortable here in this foreign kingdom, just because Dimitri was here with him. He wanted to take the prince to Almyra one day, show him all the beautiful mountains and lakes, the best markets, buy him tapestries and traditional wear. Maybe if time allowed it... 

Claude hoped to fall asleep to those thoughts of white-toothed smiles and dimples and golden hair, but the reality of the day began to sink in, and there was nothing to distract him in the dark empty room. If it hadn't been for that horse, Claude would be dead. Frozen over in the snow, not to be found for days. 

Back in his room, Dimitri and Felix settled quickly into bed themselves. They got comfortable right away, and within minutes both of them were asleep. Felix wanted to try sleeping apart, so he set up a barricade of blankets between them. Dimitri chose instead to wrap his arms around a pillow as he slept.   
-  
He saw sunshine, pure, radiant sunshine, though not blindingly so. Through the sea of yellow light came a man atop a white horse, a man Dimitri immediately recognized. It was Claude, of course, aboard his new favorite horse, Patricia. 

_Do you trust me?_ Dimitri heard in a distant voice. A golden hand reached out to him, and the young prince took it, mounting the white mare and wrapping his arms snuggly around Claude from behind. 

_"Where are we going?"_

No answer.  
-  
Claude wanted to stop thinking about it. He tried to promptly forget and act like it never happened, refuse to acknowledge it just like he did with everything else. But it seemed his mind was set on catching up with his body, and the sudden icy sensation began to spread over his body. Pulling the fur blanket over himself was no use, and all Claude could do was whimper and pull at his hair, breathing coming out ragged. 

To make matters worse, he began sneezing and hacking, and if he got sick now, he was never going to hear the end of it. At least if he thought about the reprimand, he could forget about the feeling of snow suffocating him. Oh...oh, he couldn't breathe, his lungs began to seize up, and despite the overwhelming cold, Claude desperately clawed all the blankets off of him.

_Couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe._  
-  
Time rushed ahead. The two found themselves at the lake once again, though this time everything was really frozen in time. The snowflakes stayed stationary in the sky, the trees never swayed with the breeze -- hell, there was no breeze to bend them in the first place -- and the snow didn't cave in when Patricia took a step. Strange...

Claude dismounted first, then offered his golden hand out so Dimitri could follow suit. When the prince took the other's hand, he nearly drew it back in surprise. It was ice-cold like he just dunked his hand in a bucket full of snow. Still, Dimitri ignored it, climbing off the horse and walking to the lake with Claude. 

_I want to see you skate again, Dima_. Claude offered Dimitri a smile, but there was something...off about it. Something disingenuous. _I want to see you dance across the ice. _

How does Claude know about that nickname? "Um...w-well I didn't wear any–"

Dimitri looked down. On his feet were ice skates - sturdy ones. They fit him perfectly. 

_Off you go!_ Claude cried in an off-putting cheery tone. With a flash of his arm, he shoved Dimitri out onto the ice, which sent the poor prince tumbling to his hands and knees. 

"Ow! Claude, watch it! I've never been skating before!"  
-  
Claude aggressively shoved all the layers off of the bed, body shaking from the cold. Still, it was suffocating, claustrophobic even, to be under them. Claude felt his throat seize up, his lungs yell for air despite the heaving breaths Claude seemed to be taking. It was as if all parts of his body were in disarray, all working at different speeds. His mind seemed to be going the fastest, trapping Claude deeper and deeper inside his head. 

Claude could feel snow piling up inside his throat, mounds of it obstructing his throat. He even felt the weight on his tongue, pressing it back and making him gag against something that wasn't really there. His hands found purchase on his hair, pulling it in a desperate attempt to distinguish what was real and what wasn't.  
-  
Before he could move, a thunderous cracking sound disturbed the peace in the forest. Dimitri quickly looked down at his feet, and he saw an enormous crack run right between his legs. Then another. Then three more. He looked at Claude, whose sinister smile was still on his face, and Dimitri didn't get a chance to say anything before the ice caved in with him on it. 

With a tortured scream, Dimitri fell through the shattered ice, falling, falling into the infinite black abyss below. His body stiffened with the sudden cold, and he sank straight down as he stared vacantly at the hole of light from whence he came. The prince reached out his arm and tried screaming again, but the water suffocated him and drowned out his sound. Still, he sank down, much deeper than he ever thought a lake could be, when a voice rang out through his head. 

_You're replaceable._

Dimitri cried out again before his lungs filled with icy water, and the light from the surface faded slowly, quietly, until the prince was surrounded by darkness. Blackness. No movement, no breathing, no heartbeat. Just sinking, sinking, sinking...

_I trusted you._  
-  
Claude wanted to scream, claw at his throat, anything to rid himself of that clogged feeling. He wanted to breathe normally again, wanted to feel warmth. Goddess, he just wanted to sleep. Instead, his mouth craned open in a wordless scream, a silent yell that pierced the silent room. Spots of white danced over his vision, like falling snowflakes, which Claude wanted desperately to rip out. 

Thrashing around, his head finally cleared enough when his body collided with the floor, skull crashing against the bedside. _That_ pain was real and enough to ground him. Still, as he looked around the room, Claude felt like he could see the walls closing in over himself, trapping him. With another heaving breath, he crawled desperately to the door, using the handle to stand up and fling his body out to the hallway.

Dimitri, meanwhile, shot up in bed with a start, crying out and taking a deep breath once oxygen filled his lungs. He'd been breathing in the real world this entire time, but he didn't know that right then. The young man got out of bed before he could check to see if he woke Felix, and he stumbled out into the hallway with a shake of his head to clear his thoughts. It had been a bad dream, but he had to make sure that Claude was still here. That this whole day wasn't just a dream. It would be a cruel thing for the goddess to do if that was the case. 

_Please...please let him be there. He has to be there._ Nothing in the world mattered except Claude, hopefully sleeping soundly in his bed.

Being in the hallway, and the movement itself, helped to clear Claude's head. He didn't want to be alone right now, he didn't want to go back to thinking about what happened today. Dimitri. He wanted Dimitri. He needed the same feeling of security he had felt when Dimitri picked him up from the snow. Using the trick Dimitri taught him, Claude pressed a hand to the wall, which worked to support his body up too, and he began limping down the hallway.

"Dimitri..." he begged hoarsely.

Dimitri also walked with his hand against the wall, and he counted his footsteps as he made his way to Claude's room. He chewed the inside of his cheek and furrowed his brow tightly, stumbling every now and then from exhaustion. 

When he heard his name, Dimitri nearly jumped out of his skin. He gasped in surprise and backed up a couple steps, clutching his now-racing heart before he realized whose voice it was. It sounded dull and fearful, like the ghost of someone left behind. 

"...Claude?" He called, trying to make out the shape of a figure in the dark hallway. He never let go of the wall. "...Is that you, Claude?"

_Dimitri?_

Claude rushed forwards, hand held out in front of him as he searched blindly for the other man. His heart rate quickened, but it wasn't akin to the fear and panic he felt before. His body just wanted Dimitri's proximity. 

"W-Where are you?" Claude called out, sighing raggedly. Finally, his hand met a soft shirt, and Claude gripped the delicate material tightly. 

"Seems I couldn't be apart from you," he whispered, reaching up to press his palm against soft locks. Definitely Dimitri's own, Claude recognized the other's breath. 

They might only have known each other for a day, but Claude knew. It was as if his mind had linked with Dimitri the moment he saw him, like lightning painting the earth as it lands, a mark in his heart, forever.

"Claude..." Dimitri whispered, pulling the other into a tight hug once they connected. He could feel Claude's staggered breaths as he held on, his heart sinking in guilt. Pain. Sympathy. 

"I'm here...I'm right here..." Dimitri whispered, pressing his nose against the crook of Claude's neck. The poor man was shivering like a frightened animal, and Dimitri was a fool enough to leave him alone for the night. He suspected that Claude's nights were usually uneventful, sound nights filled with undisturbed slumber, but...something had happened that day. Dimitri would be in the same position were he the victim. 

"I've got you, Claude...why are you up?"

Claude shook his head. "I don't think burying myself under a pile of blankets was a good idea after being trapped under the snow," he joked.   
"Why...why are you up?" 

Claude really didn't feel like talking about himself, he just wanted to focus on Dimitri, how well he smelled, how warm his skin felt. How _real_ he was.

Claude snuck his hands higher up Dimitri's chest, gripping the fabric over his shoulders and rubbing it through his fingers. He breathed slowly as he focused on the feel of the silk on his skin. And if he pressed his ear to Dimitri's chest, he could hear his heartbeat...

"O-Oh, well...I had a nightmare. I had to...get some air. That's all." _I wanted to make sure you weren't a figment of my imagination. _

Dimitri pulled back enough to look at Claude's face, and he felt an immediate sense of calmness wash over him when their eyes met. "Unfortunately, night terrors have been plaguing me for the better half of my life. I have these halls memorized as a result of fetching my father in my youth. That, and simply wandering in my adolescence. Felix abhors my constant rising from bed."

Claude was able to let out a soft laugh at that.   
"I'm not used to it. To having freakouts like this, I mean. Usually I'm just a light sleeper, very used to having to keep one eye open, y'know?" Claude swallowed. "Although recently, I've just been having more stress dreams, with more and more things piling on to me. I am deeply sorry you're more used to it, I hope it alleviates soon." 

Claude wished he could pry all the nightmares from Dimitri's brain and bless him with the comfortable sleep he deserved. He wanted to hold the prince close until the sound of even breathing filled the room, just to make sure rest had come easy. It shocked Claude how strong he felt his devotion already.

"Likewise. If you are not accustomed to such things, I pray you find salvation soon." Dimitri looked around the dark hall and swept his bangs back, sighing quietly before gripping tighter onto Claude's sleep shirt. 

"Shall I escort you back to bed? I'm happy to stay with you until you fall asleep if need be." 

Was that too bold? Should he not have said that? Gods, he sounded like a freak. It probably made him look like he wanted to watch Claude sleep, which wasn't true at all, he just wanted to ensure that Claude got to bed alright. Then Dimitri would return to his quarters.

Claude looked up at Dimitri, a small smile blossoming over his features.   
"I...would like that very much, yes," he admitted, running a hand through the back of his hair. He had to admit, the thought of sleeping next to Dimitri, having the man close to him, was almost too good to be true. 

Plus, he wanted to make sure Dimitri got a good night's sleep too. The new knowledge that the man suffered from frequent night terrors made Claude's stomach drop. It was a sudden devotion, but he wanted to make sure Dimitri could have at least one night of full rest. Even if Claude had to oh so tragically cuddle. What a predicament.

"You would?" Dimitri said, unable to mask the excitement in his voice. "U-Uh, I mean...yes of course, I'd be happy to. Come along." 

Dimitri parted from Claude and walked diagonally across the hallway, running his hand along the wall before he came to the open doorway of Claude's room. He checked over his shoulder to make sure the other man was following him, smiling thinly before walking inside the room. He was pretty sure Claude couldn't see him out here in the dark. 

"Shall we light a candle? Or would you rather try to go right back to bed?"

Claude gently pawed at the back of Dimitri's shirt as they walked, content to hold on to the tail end and follow Dimitri back to his room. The remnants of whatever freak out he had experienced seemed to still linger at his fingertips, but Claude already felt so much better. Honestly had as soon as he heard Dimitri's voice out in the hallway. 

"I think sleep will do us some good. I am desperate to put this day behind me, and I can imagine you are too." It was sincerely for the best, Claude wanted to move on to a better tomorrow, one here hopefully the raspiness in his throat and the sniffles would be totally gone. He could only hope.

"Of course." Dimitri walked to the far end of the bed and sat down, yawning into his hand before pulling one a blanket over his shoulders. "Oh goodness...I apologize. It is often that my body remains tired while my mind permits me from getting any sort of rest." 

Dimitri pulled the blanket close against his body and brought his legs up to his chest, resting his temple on his knees and slowly closing his eyes. No matter how tired he was, he would stay up for Claude. Until Claude's breaths evened out and his features calmed, Dimitri would stay awake. He could do this.

Claude chuckled, watching Dimitri with a soft look in his eyes. This man was going to be the death of him, so cute and honorable. Claude rounded the bed, crawling in on the opposite side of Dimitri and pulling the mussed sheets back so he could climb in, bringing them up to his chest as soon as he was settled. It took a couple of minutes of shifting and pulling blankets off and on. Still, Claude managed to eventually find a comfortable position to lay in. What was Dimitri going to do, just _sit_ there?

Slowly, Claude brought a hand up to Dimitri's lower back, stoking circles over the fabric of his shirt in a lazy fashion.   
"Come on, lay down," Claude purred, pressing against the skin with his fingertips.

"Are you certain?" Dimitri asked, looking down at Claude and crossing his ankles. What if he fell asleep? What if someone found him sleeping with the guest? Would they get the wrong idea? Oh, gods, word would get out that the prince was having an affair with the royal guest, his father would get mad, his reputation would be ruined, and, and, and...

Dimitri allowed his body to flop over onto the bed, and he rolled to face Claude before letting out a shaky, heavy sigh. "Please don't let me fall asleep here..."

Dimitri felt immense guilt out of nowhere. His chest felt tight and heavy, and his eyes felt as though they'd recently dried out from crying. His muscles were clenched autonomically, and his throat felt dry. He felt wrong like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. But at the same time, while he was here, locking eyes with Claude...he was okay. Not perfect, but okay. Like he could forget his sorrows for a little while.

Claude went to answer but was cut off by a sudden sneeze.   
"Ah! Yeah..." he yawned, inching forward so he could press his forehead to Dimitri's chest. The prince felt so warm, but not overwhelmingly so, like a stove that had recently been extinguished. The kind you hover your hands over. He also felt...tense?

"Dima...if you don't want to be here, go to bed. I'll be fine I promise," Claude really just wanted to see Dimitri get some goddamn sleep. Even if it wasn't here. Although, he did selfishly wish for the prince to stay in his bed. Oh god, _prince_. He was in bed with the prince. This was golden.

Wait. Claude's skin...shouldn't it be cold? Dimitri bit his bottom lip before slipping his first two fingers under Claude's chin, tilting the other man's head up. At the same time, he pressed the back of his other hand against the other's forehead. The prince clicked his tongue at what he felt. 

"Oh, Claude...you're running a fever." Dimitri sat up and looked at the door, gently rubbing his thumb against Claude's hot skin. "It's late, but...I'm going to get a cool cloth for you. And I'll ask the overnight chef to make you some tea, and...oh goodness! You haven't eaten anything all day! I know it's not ideal to eat in the middle of the night, but you should get something in you. Is there anything you'd like? Some chicken soup, a slice of toast, anything?" 

Dimitri wondered if Claude noticed that he rambled when he was concerned.

_Huh, that probably explains why I was so woozy. And the weird hallucinations were probably fever-induced. Makes sense._

Claude looked up at Dimitri through lidded eyes, groaning quietly as he moved. "Nooooo, Dima don't leave," he whined in a hushed whisper, clutching the others silk sleep shirt as tight as he could. Food and sounded nice, but the cool cloth was not something Claude wanted to deal with. In fact, he was pretty okay with being warm. No cold for him for a while, that was for sure. 

"Please, you're so comfortable..."

"Claude, you can't succumb to this illness." Dimitri tried to ignore how Claude calling him by a nickname made his heart flutter. He rose to his feet and laid his blanket across Claude's feet, leaning over to squeeze the other's shoulder before walking over to the door. 

"I'm going to get you some soup. You wait here, and please don't wander the halls anymore. Goddess knows where you'll end up wandering through hallways you're unfamiliar with." Dimitri opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, but he stopped before he went too far. "Oh, and I'll be back. I'm not going to leave you here all alone all night. Now I know not to do that."

Claude groaned, throwing a hand over his eyes. "Dimaaa...! Asshole... " he whined, not actually meaning it, but nonetheless dejected after losing the other man. Truth be told, Claude did feel kind of awful, and he was sure his chest was going to be irritated and in pain for the next couple of days. Not to mention all the disgusting snot and sneezing.

It didn't take long for Dimitri to come back, and luckily he left the door open a crack. He swung it open with his foot before sliding into the bedroom, carrying a lukewarm towel on his head, a hot cup of tea, and an even hotter bowl of soup. The prince went as fast as he could while also staying quiet, ignoring the burning in his hands, and, most importantly, not spilling anything. He was overall pretty successful...besides stubbing his toe and nearly calling out damnation to the goddess. 

"Hey, you," Dimitri called, smiling at the mass of blankets and furs in the bed. "Ow ow ow ow ow...I brought you something to eat. Sit up, okay? Careful, the bowl is hot."

Dimitri set down the cup and bowl and bent his head forward, catching the towel in both hands before resuming his place on the other side of the bed. "Are you awake?"

Claude moaned annoyedly from under the blankets, poking his head out with a sour expression.   
"Kno... my knose is really shtuffy" he complained, scrunching up his nose in disgust before sneezing.   
"And I'm suddenly freezing...I was warm a second ago," That soup smelled so good. Claude naturally gravitated towards it, stomach growling in sudden hunger. 

"Thank you, Dima... thank youuuu," Claude made grabby hands at the food, licking his now purple lips excitedly.   
"Gimme gimme gimme!"

"You're cold one moment and hot the next because you're sick." Dimitri hooked his hands under Claude's arms and hiked him up in bed, stuffing pillows behind his back so he had something to support him. He then crawled over and grabbed the bowl, blowing gently on the surface before placing it firmly in Claude's blanketed lap. 

"There you go. Now eat up, okay? I want you to get nice and strong by tomorrow. I think some warm food will help you fall asleep, too."

Claude gave Dimitri a broad smile, cradling the bowl and using it to heat up his hands. "Thank you again, Dima! You're really going out of your way for me here. Th-" _Achoo!_

"Ugh," Claude wiped his nose with the back of his hand, blowing on the soup once before bringing it to his lips, drinking the broth slowly.

Dimitri's nose autonomically wrinkled as Claude used his hand to pardon himself, clearing his throat and shaking his head as he settled back in with the blankets. Dimitri had brought a spoon and everything. A nice silver one meant for retaining heat. But no. 

"Don't get too close. I don't want to catch your cold." Dimitri said jokingly, laying down on the comfortable mattress and pulling piles and piles of blankets over himself. "So...where did this "Dima" nickname come from? Just this morning you were so...respectful. Proper."

Claude looked up from his soup. "You saved my life. I think that skips a couple steps in the friendship process," he said happily, setting the warm bowl down over his lap again and leaning back against the pillows.   
"Plus, in public, you're Dimitri Alexandre Blahlahlah, heir to the kingdom of Faerghus, and I'm Claude von Riegan, next in line to lead the Alliance."

Claude paused, thinking about how best to phrase his next statement with a tap of his chin. "But in private? You're Dima, the pretty blond boy who rushed into the snow to save my life after knowing me for one day. And that's special... you're special."

Dimitri couldn't count on his fingers how many times he blushed in these past twenty-four hours. He looked to the side, cheeks and ears pink as ever, another signature nervous laugh escaping him as he thought. 

"I-I only did what was right..." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck as he thought. "I mean, I couldn't just leave you there, regardless of who you were. You could have been Claude von Riegan, heir to the family morgue at the edge of town, and I would have saved you all the same." 

Dimitri turned his head back to Claude, immediately noticing that signature cheeky smile. With a snort, Dimitri lifted his finger and flicked Claude on the nose. "What! What are you staring at?"

Claude scrunched up his nose, laughing and turning his head, shifting his gaze so he could stare at the swirling contents of his soup.   
"Nothing just...you get the cutest dimples when you smile, you know?" He said earnestly, pressing back against the pillows sheepishly. Oh, goddess, why was he feeling shy now? He'd already gotten this far. 

"Not everyone would've done what you did, is all. And I'm not used to that kind of selfless help, so seeing you go out of your way...I feel immense gratitude," Claude smiled. "Di-ma"

"Stop that!" Dimitri giggled and hit Claude on the thighs with a pillow, then hugged the same pillow close to his chest as he watched the other man. He yawned and rested his head on his knees again, a smile stretching from ear to ear as he maintained eye contact with the other man. He wasn't good at flirting - in fact, he may be one of the worst in history - but at least he knew how to accept a compliment...Kind of. 

"No one else knew of your idiotic stunt but me. We would both be in a sorry spot if I didn't go to get you when I did. And even still, you got sick. Keep drinking your soup before it gets cold!"

Claude giggled, turning his attention back to the soup as he swatted tiredly at Dimitri's arm.   
"Yeah yeah, whatever prince. I'm just happy you did, is all." 

The next few minutes went by in silence, Claude much too focused on getting food into his body. To think the last time he had eaten was in Gloucester territory that very morning, early enough to watch the sunset with his wyvern. 

He finished with a happy sigh, leaving the bowl on the bedside table and turning to Dimitri. "Thank you for feeding me. You are doing so much for me today, I may have to go about replaying your kindness..."

"You can start by letting me go back to bed." Dimitri leaned over Claude with tired eyes and scratched his head, turning his head and yawning into his arm. On the way back, he nearly collapsed from exhaustion, but Claude didn't need to know that. 

"...Unless you're insistent on keeping me prisoner in here until the morning? Honestly, I never know what you're up to." Dimitri laid down with his head at the foot of the bed and his feet on the pillow, his silk shirt riding up enough to expose his pale midriff. He didn't care - air would just flow there anyway.

Claude suddenly felt immensely hot. Very. Hot. He wanted to say something, make a quip at Dimitri, joke, beg him to stay, anything. But for some reason, looking down at Dimitri like that, pressed against the sheets, hair missed, shirt hitched up, sleep in his eyes, made Claude's entire body shake with energy. It was so defenseless, so unguarded, and a little hot. Frankly, Claude felt like he couldn't tear his eyes away. 

Still, he had to say something. If he didn't, it would just be creepy, so he blurted out, much too quickly: "Please sleep with me."

"W-What?!" Dimitri called, sitting up on his elbows and looking at Claude with wild eyes. Sleep with him? As in...fall asleep in the same bed? Or...

"U-Um, you're going to have to clarify, Claude, because...uh..." Dimitri looked away. Another habit of his: breaking eye contact when things got awkward. "I'm afraid my answer will vary based on what you meant..."

One day. No, less. That's how long these two idiots have known each other. What the fuck.

Claude's hands shot up, shaking in front of Dimitri as Claude's face contorted in embarrassment.   
"I meant to stay here! Sleeping. Like good children of the goddess," he clarified, unable to contain the laughter that began to bubble in his chest. Oh goddess, leave it to his stupid feverish self to say something so dumb. 

"I'm not so eager to bed a to-be-married man, Dima. What kind of man do you think I am?" He joked, shifting the pillows behind him so that they lay flat against the bed.   
"I just don't want to be alone."

"I...I see." Dimitri yawned and rolled his head to the side, flopping back down on the bed and raising his arms above his head. His hands dangled off the end of the bed, and he lay still for a moment before he sat up and switched himself around so that he was facing the right way. 

Dimitri bit the tip of his tongue and crawled under the blankets, pressing his hand onto Claude's face before playfully pushing the other man away. "Okay, but don't you dare get near me. If I sniffle even once tomorrow, I'll exile you from the kingdom." 

Dimitri rolled over to face Claude and tucked one of his hands under the pillow. "And besides, I think Felix will be thrilled to have the bed to himself tonight. That never happens."

Claude imitated Dimitri with a smile, tucking his own hand under his pillow and facing the prince in front of him.   
"Alright, would you like to put a pillow between us, oh your kindliness?" He teased, fighting back the urge to reach out and brush a stray lock of hair behind Dimitri's ear. 

Claude meant to keep teasing, but a yawn escaped his lips, and his eyes furrowed close as exhaustion began to crawl its way up his joints. Instead, he opted to open one eye and grin tiredly.   
"Goodnight, Dima"

Dimitri let a quick puff of air out of his nose, his eyes fluttering closed as he got used to the bed, the breathing of the other, and the fact that the other was Claude instead of Felix. The prince moaned quietly as he got situated for the last time, his lips slightly parting as he fell deeper and deeper into a sleep that would last the whole night. 

"Goodnight..." Dimitri yawned. "...Claude."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! We're almost at the end of this fic (cries)!!! Thank you for keeping up with this little story of ours, we love our boys~
> 
> As always, feel free to follow me at the following handles:  
Twitter (+fic commission info) - @fernandfe15  
Cosplay Instagram - @fuzzybunny78
> 
> Zach's info:  
Twitter - @diebreado1  
Cosplay Instagram - @diebreado

**Author's Note:**

> WOW HI OK I've never written anything this long before,,,this was a great and fun learning experience!! thank you for reading and look forward to upcoming chapters~ 
> 
> Zach and I both had a BALL writing this!!
> 
> As always, feel free to follow me at the following handles:  
Cosplay Instagram - @fuzzybunny78  
Twitter (+fic commission info) - @fernandfe15
> 
> And you can follow Zach on Instagram and Twitter under @diebreado !


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